Set a thief
by Fuse
Summary: Phil's in trouble and his past is coming back to bite him. NOTE: new rating, things are getting interesting here.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks aren't mine, legalese, legalese, legalese. The new characters ARE mine, so please don't borrow them as it could muck up the story line. Ta.  
  
A/N: We haven't seen the whole series, so if I made a few technical errors, let me know. Remember: honesty is the ONLY policy. Good reviews or bad - they're ALL welcome.  
  
Set a thief to catch a thief.  
  
© Fuse 2003  
Chapter 1  
  
Phil was watching the early morning practice session and wracking his brains on how he was going to persuade the ducks that a photo shoot at the museum would be a good idea. He heard the main doors open and turned to see the director of the pond, Magnus Carter coming towards him with the pond's chief accountant, Monica Grey. He wondered what was up, as the pair looked pretty grim. The ducks had heard the doors as well and had stopped practice. As they watched, the two walked over to Phil and spoke quietly to him. Their conversation got a little heated and Phil got more and more agitated as Magnus looked grimmer and grimmer. Monica stood impassively off to one side.  
  
"Never!" bellowed Phil eventually. "I would never do that and I couldn't possibly even if I wanted to. You know that!"  
  
The team shared a look and then skated closer to the barrier to see what was going on. Phil saw them coming and stood up so fast that he almost stumbled over his ever-present briefcase.  
  
"My office, right now." he snapped at Magnus.  
  
He turned and stalked off before any of the ducks could ask a question. They just stood watching the trio depart, their mouths hanging slightly.  
  
"Who knew that Phil could get that loud without his life being in danger?" cracked Dive.  
  
"Funny." Said Wing, "But I think that something's really wrong here."  
  
"Any idea?" asked Mallory.  
  
"Not unless it's about his expense account." Said Tanya.  
  
"Ha ha." Said Duke. "But that was the accountant. Wonder if ol' Phil's spent too much on photo shoots again?"  
  
"Instead of wondering about what we don't know, perhaps we should seek enlightenment at the source." Said Grin sagely.  
  
"How?" asked Wing, "It was obvious that he didn't want us to hear."  
  
"One can hear much though the barriers of the physical plain." Grin replied.  
  
A nasty type of smile spread itself across Dive's face.  
  
"Grin, I never though you'd have in you." He laughed.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked an impatient Mallory.  
  
"Eavesdropping." Said Dive and Duke together.  
  
"Jinx!" cried Dive as he raced off the ice and started running towards Phil's office.  
  
"Not so fast kid." Said Duke as he took off after him.  
  
The others followed at a more reasonable pace. When they got there, they all crowded around the door and pressed their ears against the wood. The voices were muffled but audible.  
  
"I'm sorry Phil." Said Marcus while holding up both hands. "There's nothing that I can do. It's missing and everything that we have points to you. I'm afraid that we're going to have to ask you to hand over all your bank records for verification."  
  
"That's private information that I don't have to disclose unless you charge me." Snarled Phil.  
  
"Which we will do unless the money is returned Mr. Palmfeather." Said Monica  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"We're willing to let this go Phil," said Marcus soothingly. "If the money comes back in three days, then this matter will disappear - no charges and no questions asked."  
  
"But I don't have the money because I didn't do this!" insisted Phil, his voice starting to strain.  
  
Marcus regarded him carefully then sighed and shrugged.  
  
"I've done everything I can for you. You have three days and then you will be arrested."  
  
With that, he turned on his heel and started towards the door with Monica trailing behind. Then she stopped and turned back to Phil.  
  
"And don't think about leaving the city Mr. Palmfeather. If you do, we will have the Mighty Ducks arrested and charged in your place, guilty or not. Although I wonder just how together you lot are in this matter."  
  
Phil looked ready to leap across the desk in rage, the he sagged into his chair and looked hopelessly at Marcus and saw a deep sorrow reflected in his eyes.  
  
"Marcus, I didn't do this. There's no way that I could. Please - believe me."  
  
Marcus didn't even turn around, he just opened the door and walked out.  
  
The ducks hadn't bothered to hide the fact that they had been listening to the conversation, they just parted to let the pair through, giving them cold stares as they went. They watched them go round the corner and then filed into Phil's office.  
  
"What's going on Phil?" asked Wing.  
  
Phil looked up from his desk and the ducks were shocked to fear and confusion in his eyes.  
  
"They said I've been stealing money from the pond." He whispered.  
  
"How much?" asked Tanya.  
  
"At least three hundred and seventy five thousand."  
  
Duke whistled. "That's a lotta cash. How d'ya do it?"  
  
"Duke!" exclaimed the rest of the team.  
  
"Just kidding!" he protested with both hands in the air.  
  
They turned their attention back to Phil who was sitting with his head in his hands.  
  
"We believe you Phil." Said Grin.  
  
"Yeah man." Added Dive. "As much as you love the green, you aint stupid enough to steal it."  
  
Phil gave a strangled laugh. "I appreciate your faith in me guys, but I really want to be alone right now."  
  
He stood up before they could say anything and made his way out of the office. The ducks watched him go. When he was out of sight, Wing turned to the rest of the team and said:  
  
"Okay team. Any ideas on how to fix this one?" 


	2. Making plans

Disclaimer: Mine! They're all mine! The new characters silly. The ducks belong to someone else (RATS) and I make nothing off of this except writing pleasure.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The ducks were too confused to continue with their practice and they made their way to the showers to clean up. While they were busy, they speculated on what was really going on.  
  
"I still say that this is a plot from Draggy." Insisted Mallory. "I mean, if Phil's out of the picture, we'll be in trouble as well."  
  
"Sweetheart!" exclaimed Duke. "Trouble? What's so troubling about Phil not being here to nag us inta' photo shoots an' stuff?"  
  
Wing chuckled as he closed his locker door and turned to Duke.  
  
"You're right about that part. But I don't think that this has anything to do with Dragonus."  
  
"Yeah Bro." Came Dive's voice from the depths of his locker where he was trying to tame his hair. "This isn't Draggy's style. "  
  
"Uh, yeah." Agreed Tanya. "You gotta be smart to do this kinda thing and I don't think Siege and Chameleon qua, qual - have those smarts."  
  
"So what are we going to do about this?" asked Mallory.  
  
"I was wondering if Drake 1 can do accounting." Said Wing.  
  
"Da, yeah." Scoffed Tanya. "Of course it can, no sweat. We just gotta enter all the trans, transa, numbers."  
  
"Then that's what we do." Said Wing.  
  
"Easier said than done." Muttered Dive.  
  
"What d'ya say?" asked Duke.  
  
"I said that it's easier said than done." Repeated Dive. "I took basic accounting when I was in school and there's stacks of documents and books that we have to have."  
  
"Well, we just ask Phil to get them and bring them down." Said Mallory with a shrug.  
  
"A fox will not be welcome at the hen-house after a midnight visit." Grin piped up.  
  
The rest of the team gave him a blank look. Grin smiled and said:  
  
"What makes you think that they'll allow him near the accounts offices now?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" said Dive. "Right on the money man."  
  
"Ugh!" said Duke in mock disgust. "Nice one kid."  
  
"All jokes aside guys," said Wing. "Who can think of a way to get those books?"  
  
Duke looked at his feet and then looked at the wall and then the lockers and then looked up to see the others looking at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Could you get in there?" asked Mallory.  
  
Duke gave her a withering look and she had the grace to blush lightly.  
  
"Sure I can get in, but what am I looking for?"  
  
"I'll make a unit that'll let you uplink to Drake 1 and then it'll do the rest." said Tanya.  
  
"What about the other stuff?" asked Dive.  
  
"What other stuff?" asked Wing.  
  
"Big Bro!" said Dive. "Accounts don't just consist of computer records. They're only as good as the documents that were entered into the computer."  
  
"So," said Mallory slowly. "We gotta get the records and the documents and then go though them and then put them back in the same place, right?"  
  
"Right!" said Dive snapping his fingers. "Easy huh?"  
  
"Not really." Said Tanya.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because little friend," said Grin. "There are only so many hours in the night and I fear that there are more documents than hours."  
  
Dive heaved a sigh and scowled at Grin. "Why are you always right?"  
  
"Only speak when you are sure in your knowledge of the subject at hand." He advised.  
  
"That why you don't say much huh?" needled Duke.  
  
Grin just smiled serenely.  
  
"Just kiddin' big fella."  
  
The ducks had by this time, finished in the locker room and made their way to the elevator to go down to base. Dive and Duke made their way to the kitchen to raid the fridge, Wing went to check on the monitors and Grin went to go and meditate. Tanya and Mallory were on their way to the mall and then Mallory was struck by a sudden thought. She stopped in mid stride and opened the channel on her com-link.  
  
"Hey you guys, does anybody have an idea of where Phil's gone?" 


	3. Surprises

Disclaimer: Same old, same old.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Mallory's question brought the gang up short and they made their way to the ready room to talk about Phil. Dive came in with the monstrous sandwich that he had constructed in the kitchen.  
  
"Well?" asked Mallory again. "Any ideas?"  
  
"You know he said that he wanted to be alone." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah," said Tanya. "But is that such a good idea? I mean, he did look really dev, deva, upset."  
  
"Mphtrack mphell mphone." Mumbled Dive through bites of his sandwich.  
  
"Dive!" scolded Wing. "You've been taught better than talk with your mouth full."  
  
"Good idea Dive." Said Tanya, stepping up to Drake 1. "I'll do that."  
  
The others looked at her in surprise.  
  
"You actually understood that Sweetheart?" asked Duke, scratching his head.  
  
"Uh huh." Said Tanya, tapping at the keyboard. "Track the cell phone."  
  
"Oh yeah." Said Mallory. "I remember that you managed to hide a beacon in that damn thing."  
  
Tanya called up a grid of the city and then homed in on the signal. It indicated that Phil was stationary in a rather seedy part of the city. Wing looked up the address on a separate console.  
  
"He's at the Rusty Nail."  
  
Four blank stares met his own and Wing knew that he looked the same.  
  
"Drowning his sorrows is not going to give enlightenment." Said Grin suddenly. "All he will find is a hangover."  
  
They turned to Grin and Dive asked in a suspicious tone that suggested he already knew the answer.  
  
"You know where the Rusty Nail is, don't you?"  
  
"I have sampled its offerings from time to time." shrugged Grin.  
  
"So where, an' what, is this place?" asked Duke.  
  
"A bar." Came the simple reply.  
  
Dive exploded into laughter.  
  
"A bar?" he chortled. "What were you doing there?"  
  
"Bouncing."  
  
The team looked at him, stunned. Grin was the most placid person that they knew and there he was, confessing that he bounced at a bar in the nasty part of town.  
  
"Yeesh." Said Duke. "Ya' never really know a person do ya'?"  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Wing.  
  
"I didn't think that you would approve."  
  
"The Grinster actually worries if we approve?" said Dive incredulously. "Man!"  
  
"I always worry little friend. I especially kept it from you. You are like warm wax - impressionable."  
  
Wing smiled at Grin's concern about leading Dive into doing something that he wouldn't approve of. If he was worried about that, he'd worry about all the sneaky tactics that Duke had already taught him - not that it was a bad thing. Duke's advice had gotten them out of many a tight corner.  
  
"Don't worry Grin." He said. "Dive knows the difference between right and wrong. Only he can choose to follow the right path."  
  
Tanya cocked an eyebrow and smirked at Wing. "You been reading some of Grin's es, eso, esoter, weird books?"  
  
"Ha ha."  
  
Mallory piped up from the console. "So are we going to get him home or leave him to drive himself?"  
  
"An' let him become Phil paste in can when he totals the car?" asked Duke.  
  
"Eeew." Said Dive. "Thanks for the graphics dude."  
  
"We get him." said Wing. "Everybody to the Migrator."  
Meanwhile.  
Phil sat at the bar and looked at the smeary reflection of himself in the mirror behind the bar. He wasn't pleased with what he saw and took another drink from his glass to try and erase the picture. It wasn't working. He looked up as the barman came over to him.  
  
"Hey Willy." He mumbled.  
  
"Phil." Said Willy softy. "What's going on?"  
  
"Can't a frien' drop in for a dring?" slurred Phil.  
  
"You haven't 'dropped in' here since." Willy trailed off as Phil glared at him.  
  
"Don' talk 'bout that."  
  
"Sorry man." Said Willy. "You wanna 'nother?"  
  
"Mmm."  
  
Willy turned and regarded the display thoughtfully. He selected a bottle and plunked it down in front of Phil.  
  
"Knock yourself out man." He said. "Really."  
  
He walked to the other end of the bar to serve some customers and then went to the phone. He waited as it connected.  
  
"He's here. Think you'd better fetch him. Oh, you are? Good."  
  
He put the phone down and watched Phil out of the corner of his eye while he served the rest of the patrons. Grin put away his cell and met the horrified stares of the others.  
  
"A cell phone?" exclaimed Mallory. "What other secrets have you got?"  
  
"Willy got it when I started there. He wanted to be able to contact me if he needed me at short notice."  
  
Dive leant back in his seat and sighed. "Too much at once man."  
  
Wing parked the Migrator in front of the bar and surveyed the building. It was a single story structure that stood alone at the end of the street. It didn't seem to have many cars parked outside, but there were several motor cycles standing close to the door. It didn't look nearly half as bad as some of the buildings in the area. He turned to face the team.  
  
"Duke, you and Grin come inside with me. The rest of you wait here."  
  
"But I wanna see inside." Protested Dive.  
  
"No." said Wing. "You're too young."  
  
"But."  
  
"No."  
  
"Do not worry little friend. I have photos that I'll show you when we go home."  
  
"Humph." Said Dive and threw himself back into his chair, pouting.  
  
The three drakes got out and made their way to the entrance, Grin leading. Wing was surprised to see that it was quite pleasant inside. Well lit and clean with lots of ceiling fans. They past by a huge man that was perched on a small stool, just inside the door. He smiled when he saw Grin and motioned towards a small man standing behind the bar. Wing took it to be the 'Willy' that Grin had mentioned.  
  
Duke was sold the moment he walked in and he knew that once all the trouble had blown over, he'd be paying the place another visit. The majority of the floor space was taken by small tables that sat four and then the bar. Oh the bar!  
  
It stretched the length of the back wall and was solid ebony, inlaid with teak swirls and scrolling. It was polished to a glass-like sheen and had a brass foot rail to keep customers boots away from the wood. The wall behind the bar was completely mirrored from floor to ceiling and had a large rack of exotic looking bottles at each end. He took another look at the man who was serving behind the bar, assuming that this was Willy. He was short and stocky with light brown hair and a beard that was greying. As Duke got closer, he could see that his eyes were green and that he had tattoos on each arm. They reached the bar and Grin spoke:  
  
"How long has he been here?"  
  
"Turned up early this morning and been here since."  
  
"Drinking heavy?"  
  
"Steadily - gave him the bottle. Thought if he drank himself out cold, you'd have less of a problem with him."  
  
"Thanks Willy."  
  
"Sure, no problem." Said Willy scratching at his beard.  
  
Grin could see that Willy was curious and turned to Wing.  
  
"You guys see if he'll leave. I want a word with Willy."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Duke and Wing sauntered casually over to Phil and placed themselves at either side of him. He noticed them coming but didn't say anything. He just poured himself another glassful and toasted each of them before downing the alcohol.  
  
"Hey Phil." Greeted Wing softly.  
  
Phil ignored him.  
  
"What 'ya doin' Phil?" asked Duke gently. "Tryin' ta drink Willy outta business?"  
  
"Maybe." Grunted Phil. "Seems that's what I'm good at."  
  
"What?" asked Wing.  
  
"Ruining other people's business'."  
  
"We both know that you didn't do it Phil." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah?" asked Phil. "You gonna prove it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Tanya's working on it right now." he said smoothly, knowing that it was a lie.  
  
Phil gave a small laugh. Then he tried to pick up the bottle but Duke stayed his hand.  
  
"I think that's enough. You gonna have one killa' headache in the mornin'."  
  
Phil tugged the bottle from away and sloshed another dose into the glass. He smirked at Duke as he raised it to his lips.  
  
"S'what I deserve." He slurred.  
  
Wing and Duke shared a look over his head and Wing gave a small shrug. Duke was about to say something when he noticed that Grin and Willy were coming over to them. Phil looked up as Willy stopped in front of him.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"You've had enough Phil. I think you should let your friends take you home."  
  
"Y'know," slurred Phil. "She waz a better barkeep 'an you. Prettier too."  
  
Willy reached out and took away the bottle. Phil lunged out for it but missed and ended up slumping across the bar. He sat up straight and looked blearily at Willy and Grin and then at Wing and Duke. Then he smiled a silly little smile and slid to the floor as gracefully as a sack of wet cement. Willy heaved himself up and peered over the bar to look at him.  
  
"Take him home and pack him into bed. He'll be fine in the morning, although he won't think so."  
  
Duke grinned and heaved one of Phil's arms over his shoulder while Wing did the same on the other side. Grin went ahead and held the door open. They staggered through and Grin followed. They heaved him into the Migrator and Tanya took a look at him.  
  
"Da, he'll be fine," she said after a quick look. "He's just ine, inebr, drunk."  
  
"Yeah, but will we be fine?" asked Dive as he waved a hand around his face. "He smells like a brewery." They drove back to Phil's apartment and Grin put him to bed. He also volunteered to stay the night to keep an eye on him. Mallory joined him so that they could work shifts. The others went back to the pond and started planning the raid on the Pond's offices.  
  
Willy watched them leave and then called the junior barkeep to watch the customers while he went into the office and closed the door. He thought about what Grin had told him and he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Then he reached for the phone and dialed. A female voice answered.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
As succinctly as possible, Willy repeated what Grin had told him about the alleged embezzlement. The voice cut him off in mid explanation.  
  
"I'm on my way."  
  
"There's only two days and a bit left, are you going to make it in time?"  
  
"I'll be there Willy."  
  
The line was disconnected and Willy hung up the phone. He sighed and pulled a bottle of expensive scotch out of his desk draw. He slowly uncapped it and put it to his lips. After a long pull, he set it down and wiped his eyes.  
  
"Let me have done the right thing." He prayed out loud. 


	4. Storm coming

Disclaimer: Haven't you gotten tired of this yet? They're not mine!  
  
A/N: Just a Thank You to Blue Moon Duchess - Thanx 4 reading! Stay tuned - its about to get real interesting.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Grin and Mallory sat at Phil's kitchen table, listening to him snore. They had been with him since that afternoon and had been keeping a watch. Mallory glanced at the clock and then did a double take.  
  
"Holy cow Grin!" she exclaimed. "It's after midnight."  
  
Grin raised an eyebrow and said: "I was wondering why my soul was crying out for physical nourishment."  
  
"Yeah. I'm starved too." Mallory quipped. "Think it's okay to leave him now?"  
  
"Yes. He'll wake up later in the day and wish that he hadn't."  
  
They picked themselves up and gathered their gear. Grin took one last peek at Phil and then they hit the road back to the Pond. They arrived just in time to hear Tanya talking to Wildwing.  
  
"Yeah." She said gesturing to the mounds of papers and files that littered the ready room floor. "Its gone alright and the only signature is Phil's."  
  
Wildwing sat down in a nearby chair, his head reeling. He couldn't believe what Tanya had told him, but it had to be true - it was Drake 1.  
  
"There's no way that Drake 1 could have made an error somewhere?" asked Mallory, skeptical of all machines.  
  
"Da, nope." Said Tanya emphatically shaking her head. "I ran it through three times and it still comes up with the same answer."  
  
Duke gave a low whistle. "Three hundred and twenty seven thousand dollars, eight hundred."  
  
"Don't forget the thirty six dollars and fifteen cents." Chipped in Dive from somewhere under the aforementioned mound.  
  
The team were stunned - in their efforts to help Phil, all they had managed to do was prove the accountants right. There was money missing and it pointed straight to Phil. Wing stood up and started pacing.  
  
"Okay, what do we know?" he asked with determination in his voice. "We know that there's money missing and it points to Phil."  
  
"Gee, talk about statin' the obvious." muttered Duke.  
  
"But we all know that Phil wouldn't do this." Wing continued.  
  
"Wouldn't he?" asked Mallory. "Remember when he found that jewel that granted wishes."  
  
"Uh, you gotta point there." said Tanya.  
  
"True." Said Grin. "But remember, actions with no consequences are often lead to the fulfillment of dreams."  
  
"Huh?" said Dive.  
  
"There weren't repercussions from usin' the jewel." Said Tanya.  
  
"But there would be, for stealing from your employer." Said Wing, catching on.  
  
"Yeah," added Duke, "Like ten to twenty for grand larceny."  
  
"You would know." Smirked Mallory.  
  
"Ha ha." Snapped Duke.  
  
"Alright you two, now isn't the time." admonished Wing. "We have to assume that Phil's innocent."  
  
"But if he's innocent," asked Tanya. "Who's settin' him up?"  
  
"Does he have any enemies?" asked Dive. "Ooh, talk about a tongue twister"  
  
"Funny Dive." Said Mal. "Like everybody, he probably some, but one with this big a grudge - nothing springs to mind."  
  
"Has anyone heard him talk about anything that sounded suspicious?" asked Wing.  
  
"Apart from every single photo shoot, nope." Said Duke.  
  
"I think we should ask Phil." Said Tanya.  
  
"I don't think that's going to be for a while." Said Grin, shaking his head.  
  
"It's the only option we've got." Said Wing. "So until Phil's compus- mentus, I think that we should all get some rest."  
  
"Uh huh." Agreed Dive. "Some of us need our beauty rest."  
  
"Is that why you're always up so late?" shot Duke.  
  
Dive pulled a face at him and then proceeded to try and make his way out of the ready room without attracting anyone's notice.  
  
"Before we can rest, there's still a job to do." Said Wing. "And you've got to help Dive."  
  
Dive stopped just short of making it out the door and snapped his fingers.  
  
"Rats!"  
  
"You thought that you'd get away with not helpin' to put this stuff back huh?" asked Duke.  
  
"Something like that." admitted Dive, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"You're about the only one who can remember where all this stuff would go Dive." Said Mallory.  
  
"Oh well, sacrifices must be made to stay this smart." He said with a false air.  
  
He made his way to the pile of papers that were sitting in the middle of the floor. Thankfully, Tanya had had the presence of mind to keep them in the same order that Duke and Dive had brought them to her in. He picked a likely looking stack and trailed after Duke who was already trotting out the room with a similar bundle.  
  
They managed to put the whole lot back in two trips with no trouble. As soon as they were done, Dive made his way to his bunk and fell into his pillow with a resounding thud. Wing looked up and chuckled. He had decided to be merciful and cancel the morning practice. Too bad he hadn't told Dive.  
  
*******  
  
Dive mumbled something to himself and rolled over to look at his clock. Instinct told him that he didn't have a lot of time left before practice and he was right. He had no time - according to the clock, he was two hours late!  
  
He flew out of the bed and dragged on his clothes and headed towards the kitchen trying to fasten his pants with one hand and brush his hair with the other. As he reached the doorway, he skidded out of control, lost his balance and slid through the door on his belly. From his low vantage point, furry slippers were the only things visible. Wait - furry slippers?  
  
He regained his footing and stared at the rest of the team who were sitting around the table in various states of consciousness and dress. It was obvious everyone had gone to bed late. He turned on Wing who was coming to the table with a plate of toast and bacon.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Since we were all up so late last night, I thought that I would cancel practice this morning."  
  
"And you just forgot to tell me that you turned off my alarm?"  
  
"Oops." Said Wing sheepishly. "Toast?"  
  
He held the plate out to Dive like a peace offering. Dive glared at the plate for a moment and then shrugged. He sat at the table and served himself. During the course of the meal, Mallory had risen to the surface and was now ready to face the day.  
  
"So what's on the agenda for today, since things are so weird?"  
  
"We have to go and see Phil." Said Wing. "Besides making sure that he's alright, we need to talk to him about the money."  
  
There was a general murmur of agreement and they soon drifted out the kitchen and towards their rooms, to make an effort at being presentable. They congregated in the garage and were waiting for Tanya. She came rushing in from the direction of her lab, carrying a large case. Wing lifted an inquisitory eyebrow.  
  
"I thought that I'd bring some medi, medica, stuff incase Phil's really sick." She explained.  
  
"Good call." Said Wing.  
  
"Lets hope that we can heal his heart as easily as his body." Said Grin.  
  
"Oh I'm sure we can cheer him up." said Dive. "I know hundreds of prison jokes."  
  
"That's the problem." Muttered Duke as he plonked himself into his chair.  
  
As they made their way to Phil's place, dark clouds were starting to roll in towards the city. Dive looked at them and said:  
  
"Isn't it weird how bad weather comes with bad news?"  
  
"It is not always a harbinger of doom, little friend." Said Grin comfortingly.  
  
"Yeah," said Duke, "But I feel a storm comin'."  
  
"That's kinda obvious." Said Tanya.  
  
"I wasn't talkin' 'bout the weather."  
  
Tanya raised her eyebrows but Duke said nothing more. She shrugged and turned her attention to the case in her lap. They continued their journey in silence.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
The highway through the desert was empty and silent save for the sleek black car that was streaking towards Anaheim. Inside, Metallica was singing about forgiveness - or the lack thereof. The driver watched the clouds in the rearview mirror. Her lips formed a half-smile and she spoke aloud:  
  
"It rained then, why shouldn't it rain now?"  
  
The car continued racing towards Anaheim, just ahead of the storm. 


	5. Hysteria

Disclaimer: Carbon copy of the first one.  
  
A/N: Hey there! I hope that this chapter works. I need a little help before I can finish the next one - who can tell me the name of a large city about 3 days drive from Anaheim. (I don't live where you do.)  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Wing knocked on the door of Phil's apartment and waited for a response. None was forthcoming. He knocked a little louder.  
  
"Phil?" he called after a moment. "Are you awake in there?"  
  
Silence. Then, very faintly, a groan floated from under the door.  
  
"Phil, are you okay?"  
  
"Um, Bro." Said Dive. "That's a kinda stupid question, considering what he looked like yesterday."  
  
Wing nodded and then leaned back, preparing to kick the door in. Grin placed a hand on his shoulder and said:  
  
"Subtlety opens more doors than aggression my friend."  
  
"Say what?" asked Wing.  
  
"He means let me try." Said Duke, pulling a set of picks from his belt pouch. He had the door open in a heartbeat and they trooped into the living room. Wing went to Phil's room and tapped on the door.  
  
"Phil, you okay in there?"  
  
"Uh uh." Came the faint reply.  
  
"Need a hand?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
Wing went into the room and stared. Phil was lying half in and half out of the bed and was sliding slowly towards the floor. Wing stepped up to him and helped him back onto the bed. Then he poked his head around the door.  
  
"Tanya, I think we're going to need that case of yours."  
  
"Sure." She picked up the case and went into the room. Immediately her head came around the door as well.  
  
"Mal, I think we're gonna need some coffee."  
  
"I'm on it." said Mal.  
  
"Strong!" said Wing, as he and Tanya disappeared back behind the door.  
  
Dive, Duke and Grin looked at each other and then shrugged in unison. Grin took a seat on the couch, Dive started to study the titles on the movie rack and Duke went off to see if Mal needed a hand.  
  
Back in the bedroom, Wing and Tanya had their hands full. She had examined Phil and then injected him with a stimulant, to get him going. She sat back on her heels and started putting her equipment back in its case.  
  
"He's going to be fine. But I would, uh, clear the way to the bathroom if I were you." She warned.  
  
Wing gave her a funny look and then proceeded to make sure that the bathroom door was open and the toilet seat was up. He was just in time. Phil sat bolt upright on the bed and then shot off it as if someone had lit a fuse under him. He ran to the bathroom, bounced off the doorframe and fell to his knees in front of the toilet. (I'll leave the rest to your imagination.)  
  
Dive, who had heard the noise and was on his way in, met Tanya on her way out of the bedroom.  
  
"Doing the Technicolor yawn?' he asked with a grin.  
  
"Uh huh." She nodded. "That's what the stimulant does. Gets rid of the po,poi, toxins."  
  
Dive went on to the bathroom to see if there was something that he could do while Tanya went to the kitchen to get some of the coffee that Mallory had made. Mal turned as she came in, a cup balanced in her hands. Duke was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Is Phil ready for his coffee?"  
  
"Nope, but I'll have some." Said Tanya taking the cup.  
  
Mallory favored her with a smile and poured herself a cup as well. The two stood in companionable silence and sipped the strong brew. Meanwhile, Duke was doing a little snooping. He had seen the living room and the kitchen and was now investigation the study. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, just wandering around. He noticed a picture on the wall and stopped for a look. It was of Phil and Willy inside the Rusty Nail. They were holding up their drinks in a toast to the person behind the camera. Duke took a closer look and saw that the photographer was reflected in the mirror behind the bar. Their face was hidden by the camera, but it was clear enough to let him see that it was a girl. He wondered if this was the person Phil had referred to when he had told Willy that:  
  
'She was a better barkeep than you. Prettier too.'  
  
He made a mental note to find out what Phil had been talking about and then went back to the kitchen to see what the others were doing. As he came in the one door, Dive came in the other.  
  
"Man!" he said, waving a hand around his face. "I though Phil smelled bad yesterday."  
  
"He okay?" asked Duke.  
  
"He's convinced that he's dying at the moment, at least that's what I think he said." Answered Dive. "The echo of the toilet kinda distorts stuff, y'know."  
  
"TMI!" said Mallory with a groan.  
  
They were saved from any more of Dive's comments by the arrival of Wing. He went straight to the coffee machine and helped himself.  
  
"I think that we're going to need a lot more of this." He advised Mallory.  
  
She nodded and then asked: "Who's with Phil now?"  
  
"Grin."  
  
In the bathroom, Grin was helping Phil to his feet. Although he was done, dry heaves still wracked his body. Under Grin's guidance, he stumbled along to the bed and sank gratefully down onto it. Grin opened his closet and started going through the clothes. Phil had his eyes closed and didn't care what Grin was doing. Grin took a pile of clothes through to the bathroom and then looked for the soap and a fresh towel. He was surprised that things were so neat and clean, since Phil was a bachelor. Even the ferns in the bathroom were green and shiny. When he was done, he went to the kitchen to enlist some aid.  
  
"Hey, Grinmeister." Called Dive.  
  
"We have a problem of a delicate nature." He told Wing. "What's that?"  
  
To everyone's surprise, Grin bent down and whispered in Wing's ear. His eye's widened as he listened and then a blush started spreading across his cheeks.  
  
"Ah, yeah." Said Wing slowly. "O-kay."  
  
He turned to the others who were watching with puzzled expressions.  
  
"Duke, you're going to have to help me and Grin. Dive, you help Tanya and Mal tidy up Phil's room."  
  
"Do we look like maid service?'' asked Mal incredulously. "I'm not gonna clean his room."  
  
"Well," said Wing. "It's either that, or help us shower Phil."  
  
Mallory thought for a second, and then spoke. "Anyone know where the clean sheets are?"  
  
Phil risked opening his eyes and then wished he hadn't. The light sent a thousand sharp splinters of pain into his already pounding head. Not to mention that it felt like it was searing his eyeballs. He shut his eyes again and hoped that the room would stop spinning soon. He heard the three pairs of footsteps come into his room and he lifted a hand in surrender.  
  
"Not today, boobies." He mumbled. "Take the day off."  
  
"We did Phil." Said Wing. "That's why we're here."  
  
"Uh huh." He murmured as he turned over onto his sided. "That's nice."  
  
"Come on Phil." Said Wing. "Time for a nice hot shower."  
  
"One always feels better when the cobwebs of sleep have been washed away." Said Grin.  
  
"No." moaned Phil. "Come back tomorrow."  
  
"Can't do that Phil." Said Duke. "Tomorrow they arrest you."  
  
"And you just had to remind me of that." he snapped. "Go away. There's nothing you can do."  
  
He closed his eyes, determined to ignore them and wallow completely in his misery.  
  
The three drakes looked at each other and then Grin took hold of Phil's arms and heaved him into a sitting position. He looked up at them from squinted eyes.  
  
"Boobalas, what are ya' doing? I'm a sick man."  
  
"Yeah, we know." Said Duke, getting a grip on Phil's feet.  
  
Together, they heaved him off the bed and carried him into the bathroom. Wing shut the door behind them, after calling down the hall:  
  
"All clear guys."  
  
Tanya, Mal and Dive came creeping into the room, not knowing what to expect. It wasn't as bad as what they were dreading - just untidy.  
  
Mal stripped the bed while Tanya hunted down the clean sheets. Dive started opening the drapes and the windows to freshen the room. In the bathroom, things were not so easy. Much to Phil's horror, they plopped him in the shower cubicle, turned the cold water on full and closed the door. Wing stood against it to make sure that he couldn't escape.  
  
"Boobies!" howled Phil as the water pounded down on him. "Let me out!"  
  
"Not until you're done." Said Wing firmly.  
  
Phil mumbled something about mercy on the sick and then pulled himself to his feet. He pulled off his pajamas and got a little payback by throwing them over the top of the shower. They landed on Wing's head.  
  
"Phil!" he shouted. "That's cold."  
  
"Oh really, I hadn't noticed."  
  
"Rrrrr."  
  
Wing stomped over to the basin and used the hand towel to dry off. He stood well out of range and watched as the water slowed and steam started to rise from the shower. Duke sidled up to him and spoke softly:  
  
"Just gonna take a look round the room."  
  
Wing nodded and Duke slipped out the door with Phil none the wiser. He saw that the others had finished in the room and had probably gone back to the kitchen or living room. He started by opening the closet and going through the hanging things.  
  
"Suits, suits an' more suits." He muttered to himself. "Geez Phil, you got anything else 'sides suits?"  
  
A quick search of the closet revealed nothing, no false panels, no safes, no nothing. He peered under the bed and saw nothing except shoes. He examined the bedside table and draw and found nothing incriminating. He was going out the door when he saw the large photo collage on the wall. He moved in for a closer look. All the photos were taken in the Rusty Nail and looked like they came from the same spool as the one in the study. Most were of Willy and Phil in various goof off poses but there were two of the girl behind the camera. One was of her standing behind the bar with two bottles in her hands, pouring several shots. The other was of her sitting on a 'chair' made from the hands of Willy and Phil. Neither of the photos were of good quality and Duke couldn't make out much of her face - the only thing that really stood out was her hair. It was red. Not like Mal's bright fiery red but a deep red, the colour of blood.  
  
He was startled by the sound of the bathroom door and had no chance to leave as Phil came stomping through, dressed in the sweats that Grin had picked out for him. He glared at Duke, who calmly looked back.  
  
"Friend'a yours?" he asked, jerking his thumb at the photos.  
  
Phil was pulled up short and then came over to look. His face lost some of the anger and took on a soft, sad look.  
  
"Yeah." He said quietly. "She was, a good friend."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"She died. In a car accident."  
  
"Sorry to bring it up." said Duke, feeling uncomfortable.  
  
"You didn't know." Said Phil. "now, Wing said something about coffee?"  
  
"Yeah. In the kitchen."  
  
The pair left the room and made their way to the kitchen where Mal had made a fresh pot of coffee and a plate of toast for Phil. He gave it a sour look but sat at the table and toyed with it anyway. He looked up as Wing and Grin came in from cleaning up the bathroom. He was suddenly embarrassed and at a loss for words. He cleared his throat and smiled nervously at them.  
  
"So, uh, any news?"  
  
Wing shifted his weight on his feet and thought about how to tell him the bad news. Mal beat him to it.  
  
"We can't prove you innocent." She blurted.  
  
Phil gave up the pretense of eating the toast and sipped at his coffee.  
  
"Look, boobies, ya' gotta believe me, I didn't do it." he said, becoming agitated.  
  
"But we got no proof." Said Tanya.  
  
"Yeah, Drake 1 says ya did it." added Duke.  
  
"What did you guys use to check?" demanded Phil.  
  
"We kind of borrow the accounts form the office." Said Wing sheepishly.  
  
Phil rubbed his eyes and wished that they hadn't done what they did. Now he had no hope, no chance at getting out of the mess that he was in.  
  
"Did you figure how 'I' did it?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Da, yeah, it was really clever." Said Tanya enthusiastically. "You submitted your expense accounts but they were altered to be higher than what the invoices really were."  
  
Phil sagged in his chair and laid his head on his arms. His shoulders were shaking. Duke shot Tanya a sour look.  
  
"Nice one Sweetheart." He hissed. "Now he's cryin'"  
  
Phil sat up at that and shook his head.  
  
"No. I'm laughing." He explained.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked Wing.  
  
"Red would have loved this, it's right up her alley."  
  
"Huh?" asked Dive. "What're you talking about?"  
  
"But of course it's impossible to tell her since she's dead." Carried on Phil, oblivious to Dive's question. "But if anyone could have done this, it was her." He dissolved into giggles again.  
  
The team looked at each other as Phil became more and more incoherent and hysterical. Tanya started digging in her bag and came up with a syringe filled with a clear fluid. Phil eyed it and then started getting up from the table.  
  
"It's okay, really!" he protested in between giggles and snorts.  
  
Grin moved in on the one side of the table, Wing on the other. Tanya reached across and took hold of Phil's arm. He snatched it away. Mal sighed loudly and grabbed it again.  
  
"Hold still." She admonished. "It isn't going to hurt."  
  
By now Phil had gone beyond the giggle stage and was just making noises of hysteria. Tanya got the needle in and the sedative began to take effect. His eyes rolled up and he slumped against Grin - out like a light.  
  
"I don't think we should leave him alone." Said Tanya. "He's too un, unstab, freaked out."  
  
"Then we take him to the Pond." Said Wing. "Keep him there until tomorrow."  
  
"And then?" asked Mal.  
  
"Then we see what happens."  
  
Duke went off to his room to get a coat and shoes for Phil and the others made their way to the Migrator with him. As Wing drove, the promised storm broke and fat raindrops started falling on the windscreen. Phil, who had risen to semi consciousness, looked out at the rain and wished he could just dissolve into the silvery stream and be washed away. Then the shadows crowded in once more and he faded into darkness. 


	6. Jelly anyone?

Disclaimer: As if you don't know.  
  
A/N: Thanx guys! Your support means a whole lot to me. I'll do my best to keep it to your liking. And Zimmy Kid, if you're really, really good, then I'll have two chapters out together after this one, since it's a four day weekend by me.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
They left Phil in Grin's room and went to the ready room to discuss what they were going to do. As it turned out, there wasn't much that they could do. Phil was accused of a crime and they couldn't prove him innocent.  
  
"What do you think is gonna happen tomorrow?" asked Tanya. "Y'know, when they come for him."  
  
Wing shrugged and turned to Duke, "You have any idea?"  
  
"Nah." He said, shaking his head. "This is white collar crime, paper stuff y'know. Best I can reckon is that they'll take him inta custody until they set a bail."  
  
"Speaking of which," said Mal, 'Who's gonna pay that?"  
  
"Well, it's not like we can't afford it." scoffed Dive. "We are after all, professional sports players."  
  
"Yeah, but doesn't that make us accessories or somethin'?" asked Duke worriedly, his checkered past always near the surface of his mind.  
  
"No. " said Wing. "It makes us concerned friends."  
  
"But Monica thinks we're working with Phil." Reminded Tanya. "How we gonna prove her wrong?"  
  
"We don't have to." Said Wing. "We have absolutely no connection to the accounts that they're accusing Phil of diddling."  
  
"Except that every expense on that account is publicity for us." Said Mal slowly.  
  
Wing was brought up short on that one and sat silent, thinking about what Mal had said. She had a point - was there a way to implicate them?  
  
*No sense in worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. * He thought to himself. *We'll deal with it if it crops up. *  
  
He was going to say that to them, when Drake 1's alarm went off. The conversation was put on hold as they crowded round the monitor, trying to see what Dragonus was up to this time.  
  
"It looks like he's bringing something in at the old iron works." Said Tanya, reading the various numbers that were streaming across the monitors.  
  
"Somethin' big." Advised Duke.  
  
"Uh huh." She agreed. "The dimensional rip is huge."  
  
"Can you tell what it is?" asked Wing.  
  
"Nope." She shook her head. "Something we've never seen before."  
  
"Then we'll just have to take a close up look." Said Mal, priming her puck launcher.  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Dive. "But who's gonna baby-sit Phil?"  
  
The ducks looked at each other and then Wing looked at Dive.  
  
"Ah man!" he exclaimed. "I wanted to see some action."  
  
"We'll bring ya a souvenir." Said Duke, patting his saber.  
  
"Funny."  
  
"Sorry Dive, but I need some one here and I'm sure that you can handle Phil."  
  
Dive just nodded and plopped himself down in the chair in front of the monitor.  
  
"You'd better get moving before that thing swings into action." He said sourly.  
  
Wing gripped Dive's shoulder in sympathy and then they all dashed to the garage to the Migrator. While they were making their way to the iron works, Tanya was trying to get a bit more information off of her readings. She wasn't happy with what she was seeing.  
  
"Ah, Wildwing?" she called from her terminal.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You'd better pull over before we get there." she advised.  
  
Wing pulled off to the side of the road and went to the back to see what Tanya had found.  
  
"What's the problem?"  
  
"This thing that's come through the dimensional gateway, isn't just big - it's fast."  
  
"How fast?"  
  
"I'm getting frequency readings that are reaching the supersonic speeds. I'm gonna need special eq, equip, gear for this one."  
  
"You and Mal go back to the Pond and get the equipment while we go on ahead and see if we can limit the damage."  
  
"Okay." She nodded, then held out a palm size computer. "Take this with you, it'll send readings back to me."  
  
Tanya and Mal wheeled the duck cycles out of the Migrator and watched as the boys raced off down the road towards the iron works. Then they raced off in the opposite direction, back to the Pond.  
  
The gateway had closed by the time the guys had reached the iron works and they took a careful look around as they disembarked. There was nothing to be seen. Wing activated the mask and scanned the area.  
  
"Nothing." he snapped. "You'd think that something that big would show up somewhere."  
  
Grin was getting the sensation of being watched and kept turning in a circle trying to see if he could spot anything. Nothing stirred, not even a breeze. He became aware of a soft squelching noise from behind him and he slowly turned, not wanting to see the thing that could make a sound like that. Duke saw him turn and also looked in the same direction - what he saw made him grab hold of Wing's arm and tug him round to look as well.  
  
"What's u." Wing trailed off into silence as he beheld the monstrosity in front of them.  
  
It rose at least eighteen feet into the air and was almost as wide. It had no defined shape or race. It looked, by all accounts, like a massive, brown serving of jelly. Wing automatically fired at it and was aghast to see the pucks being sucked into the creature with no visible effects. Grin tried a thermal puck and got the same result. Wing fired three explosive pucks at it and watched with satisfaction as they were absorbed as well. The resultant explosion should have ripped a nice size chunk of the creature out, but it didn't. The explosion sent ripples across the creature's chest that rapidly faded. It stood there, untouched.  
  
"I'm open to ideas here guys." Said Wing, hastily reloading, even though it didn't seem to be any help.  
  
Duke was about to pass a comment when it suddenly vanished from sight.  
  
"Huh?' he said.  
  
"Tanya did say that it was fast." Said Grin.  
  
"The last time I saw somethin' like that move that fast was when Dive had a cold."  
  
"Eeew." Said Wing. "That's the second time you've given off a bad mental picture."  
  
"It's a gift." Said Duke offhandedly.  
  
They stood back to back while they looked in all directions for the thing, but it was nowhere to be seen. Wing tried another scan with the mask but nothing showed up. Then Grin spotted something on the far wall.  
  
"Does it seem like the wall is having trouble with the physical plain?"  
  
"Huh?" asked Duke.  
  
"Look over there."  
  
The wall was busy rippling and shifting as if it was made of jelly, which in a way, it was. The creature had actually merged with the wall and was now pulling away from it. The visual effect was not pleasant to look at. Wing's rapt observation was interrupted by the beeping of his com-link. He answered:  
  
"Tell me you have good news."  
  
"Well, uh, yeah and no." said Tanya.  
  
"Bad news?"  
  
"I know what the thing is."  
  
"A giant booger?" shouted duke from the background.  
  
"Nope." She answered with a giggle. "An amebac, from Tarus Twelve."  
  
"Okay," said Wing. "Now tell me again in english."  
  
"It's a life form from another planet." She explained in an exasperated tone. "Dragonus must have had it in limbo somewhere since the Saurians destroyed Amebaxa, their world, years ago."  
  
"Can we stop it?" asked Grin.  
  
"That's the good news." She said. "We can - but we're going to have to lure it away from there and take it to the ocean."  
  
"Why the ocean?" asked Wing.  
  
"Because, although it's a water based life form. Salt forces it to become dormant. The concentration of salt in the sea should force it to shrink and hibernate. Then we can toss it back to Dragonus."  
  
"How?" asked Duke "It moves so fast that we can't even see it go."  
  
"I'm working on it." she said "I don't do miracles ya know."  
  
"Thanks Tanya." Said Wing. "We'll try and keep it here. In the mean time, work on how to catch it."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Wing shut off his com and looked at the others.  
  
"Any idea's at all?"  
  
"Gotta big hanky?" asked Duke.  
  
Wing's reply was cut off as they heard ominous noises coming from the direction of the creature. They turned to see it rolling towards them, like a giant ball.  
  
"I have a suggestion." Said Grin placidly.  
  
"Yeah, what?" asked Duke.  
  
"Run!"  
  
They ran out of the way as the Amebac thundered past and ran straight into a wall. It bonded and stayed. Then it slowly started pulling loose. The guys didn't stick around for the show, they had reached the ladder attached to one of the old steel molds and were headed up, planning to hide inside, suspended off the ground. They made it inside, just as the Amebac pulled loose. It formed a ball and stayed still, as if looking or listening for them.  
  
Wing peered over the side of the mold and then ducked back inside.  
  
"Until we come up with a plan, we'll just have to wait it out here."  
  
They sat in silence as the creature rolled around - searching. 


	7. Bumpy air

Disclaimer: Read my lips! They're not mine!  
  
A/N: I hope that this is living up to your expectations.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The drakes could hear the Amebac under their hiding place and didn't dare move, in case it attracted the thing's attention. It obviously had no sight - just really good hearing. Wing had the foresight to deactivate his com and motioned to the others to do the same. He wondered if Tanya would manage to come up with something soon. Duke had shuffled closer and leaned towards his ear.  
  
"I could always run a distraction so you and the big guy can get outta here."  
  
"No." Wing said emphatically. "I don't think that's a good idea - we've seen how fast it can move. It'll have you before you can take two steps."  
  
"So what do we do?" asked Grin, who had come up on the other side.  
  
"We've just got to wait for Tanya. She'll be here as soon as she's got that equipment."  
  
"In that case," said Duke, pulling a deck of cards from his pouch. "Anyone for poker?"  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Pond.  
  
"Da, there." Said Tanya with satisfaction as she tightened the last bolt. "That oughta' do it."  
  
Mal walked around the complicated piece of machinery that Tanya had assembled in the bay of the Aerowing. She came and stood next to Tanya.  
  
"Okay. What is it?"  
  
"It's a S.F.R."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Supersonic Frequency Resonator."  
  
"And that means?" asked Mal slowly.  
  
"It'll find the same frequency that the Amebac uses to move and then resonate with the same frequency. Once it's got it perfect - it'll put out a stronger signal that'll take control of the thing and make it move down to the coast."  
  
Mal thought that it was so amusing that when explaining science - Tanya had no stutter. Then she turned her attention back to the job at hand.  
  
"So we'll attack from the air."  
  
"Uh huh. But there's a small problem."  
  
"Why am I not surprised." Muttered Mal. Then in a louder tone: "And that is?"  
  
"This thing's gonna make turbulence for the Aerowing, so it'll take two to fly it."  
  
"There's two of us."  
  
"But I need to operate the S.F.R. - we're gonna need Dive."  
  
"But he's watching Phil."  
  
"Duh." She said. "We'll have to lock Phil in the room. He'll be fine."  
  
"Okay." Said Mal. "I'll go and get Dive, you make sure that this thing is ready to go."  
  
The two split up on their respective tasks and soon met up in the hanger, Nosedive in tow. They boarded the wing and soon they were soaring through the rain.  
  
In the mold, Wing was not happy. Besides being soaking wet and stiff from sitting still, he owed Duke two grand.  
  
*At least we're playing for matches. * He thought to himself.  
  
He was about to trying to read Grin's expression, which was nigh impossible, when he heard the familiar whine of the Aerowing engines. He grinned at Duke who had also heard it.  
  
"Pack it up boys, the cavalry is here." He smirked.  
  
"Yeah," grumbled Duke. "You're just happy 'cause you were losin'"  
  
They looked around in the sky until Grin spotted the aircraft and pointed it out to the others. They watched as the pilot swooped close to the creature and made a pass then soared upwards and banked to make another pass.  
  
Inside, Tanya was struggling to get a fix on the signal that the Amebac was putting out. The turbulence was incredible. She shouted to the cockpit:  
  
"Make another pass Dive. We need to get closer."  
  
"Any closer and this thing'll have our nose-cone imprinted on it's face - or where it's face should be." He complained.  
  
But he banked and swooped in again. He gave a brief thought to the lecture that he was going to get from Wing when he landed and then put it out of his mind as the Amebac shimmered from view.  
  
"Damn it!" came the shout from the cargo bay. "Again Dive."  
  
"As you command."  
  
He was banking round when they hit a patch of turbulence and the craft bounced around like a toy boat in a bathtub.  
  
"Yeow!" he exclaimed. "Feels like being in a cuisenart."  
  
"Just don't lets end up like the contents of one." Said Mal through gritted teeth from the co pilots chair, as she tried to level them out. Gradually they regained their balance and Dive shouted to Tanya:  
  
"Where is it now?"  
  
"Somewhere on the back wall. Make a pass along it so I can pick it up."  
  
He flew along the length of the wall and about three quarter way along, the triumphant shout of "Gotcha!' echoed from the cargo bay.  
  
"Okay Dive, I got it. Now hold it steady 'cause I'm gonna start transmitting the control frequency."  
  
"Sure."  
  
The Aerowing gave a violent shudder and then tossed a little as the machine in the back started putting out a low whine. Dive barely managed to stay in control and as he wrestled with the stick, he kept his ears cocked for Tanya's orders. They were mercifully quick in coming.  
  
"Okay. Start flying this thing towards the sea - slowly!"  
  
He banked out towards the coast and peeked out the side window to see if the thing was following them. It was, lumbering after them, flattening everything in its path.  
  
"Man." He exclaimed. "It's a real pity that we don't know where the raptor is."  
  
"Why?" asked Mal.  
  
"Just imagine ol' Draggy's face if we led this thing right over his pad." smirked Dive.  
  
They chuckled over that mental picture as they continued to guide the mass out to the beach, with minimal damage to the surrounding neighborhood. Tanya watched from the cargo bay as the Amebac reached the shore and started to head out to deep water. She noted with satisfaction that it was already starting to shrink. Her com beeped, distracting her from the view.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Nice work Tanya." Said Wing. "Is it still working on your end?"  
  
"Like clockwork."  
  
"What'll ya do with it when it's shrunk?" asked Duke, on his com.  
  
"Pick it up and put it in stasis."  
  
"I thought you said we'll give it back."  
  
"That would be, ah, cruel." She said firmly. "Draggy'll just put it back in limbo."  
  
"Just as long as it can't hurt anyone else." Warned Wing.  
  
"It'll be fine." She soothed.  
  
"Do you need us here to do anything?"  
  
"Nope." She said, anticipating the blow up to come. "But you might want to head over to the Pond before Phil wakes up."  
  
"Dive's with him"  
  
"Actually Big Bro." said Dive.  
  
"Dive! What are you doing there?"  
  
"Chill man. The girls needed yours truly for his flying skills."  
  
Wing mumbled something about insubordinate younger siblings and then spoke louder:  
  
"Okay. We'll head back and look in on Phil."  
  
"Roger."  
  
They broke off communications and the drakes piled into the Migrator and headed back to the Pond. It was really quiet when they arrived and Duke wondered what mischief Phil had gotten up to while he was alone. When they looked in on him, surprisingly, he was still asleep and nothing was amiss.  
  
Still, Wing knew that the apparent calm would soon be shattered in the morning. 


	8. Resurrection

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Dive held the Aerowing just above the water's surface as Tanya dipped below it on a tether line. Mal kept a close watch on it and was relieved to feel three strong tugs, the signal to pull her back up. She activated the winch and watched as Tanya rose into the cargo bay, holding a small brown lump. The amebac had gone dormant as predicted and now looked like a rock and was just as harmless.  
  
Tanya unhooked herself from the line and put the creature into a cooler box that had been turned into a cryo stasis unit. She locked it and then heaved a huge sigh.  
  
"Boy! Am I glad that that's over."  
  
"Yeah, me too." Agreed Mal.  
  
Tanya shrugged out of the harness and wrapped herself in a large towel while Mal made her way back to her seat in the cockpit.  
  
"Home Jeeves." She ordered, sinking into her chair.  
  
"Aye aye captain." Smirked Dive.  
  
He piloted smoothly back to the Pond and landed neatly in the hanger.  
  
"Last stop - everybody out!" he called.  
  
They disembarked only to find Wing waiting for them.  
  
"No problems?"  
  
"Nope." Said Tanya, holding up the cooler box. "Safe and sound."  
  
"You worry too much Bro." Said Dive.  
  
"Can you blame me, what with the stunts that you pull?" Wing shot back.  
  
Dive blew a raspberry at Wing and then took to his heels as the elder duck made a grab for him. They took off down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen. Tanya grinned and shook her head.  
  
"At least he keeps him young."  
  
"Yeah" said Mal. "But all the pranks he pulls on me makes me old."  
  
"You love it. You just don't wanna admit it." scolded Tanya playfully.  
  
"I know." She grinned and then scowled. "If you ever repeat that - I'll deny it to my dying day."  
  
"Your secret's safe with me."  
  
The two made their way to their quarters to clean up.  
  
After showers and fresh clothes, they were joining the others to make dinner plans when Phil came stumbling in. It was obvious that he was still groggy and Grin got up and pulled out a chair for him. Phil sank gratefully into it and propped his head up by putting his elbows on the table.  
  
"Coffee?" asked Dive.  
  
"Please!" said Phil in a raspy voice.  
  
He watched Dive put a steaming mug in front of him and wrapped his hands around it, hoping to warm up the chill that had settled on him like a cloak. He could feel the others watching him but at the moment, he didn't give a damn. Sipping the black brew, he felt it scald a path down to his sour stomach and for a moment he wondered if he'd be able to keep it down. Shrugging, he took another sip and the heat eased the tension down below.  
  
Wing saw that Phil was starting to relax and decided it would be safe to talk to him now.  
  
"How you doing Phil?"  
  
Phil made a rocking motion with the flat of his hand and then shrugged again.  
  
"Wanna talk 'bout it?" asked Duke.  
  
"Not really. But I suppose we've got to make arrangements, seeing that I'm not gonna be around for a while."  
  
"You'll be out just as soon as we post the bail." Assured Mal.  
  
"I can't ask you guys to do that."  
  
"Why not?" asked Tanya. "We're your friends, of course we'll do that."  
  
"But." Phil trailed off as Wing interrupted him.  
  
"But nothing. We look after our own."  
  
Phil said nothing and buried his face in his cup to hide the moisture that was starting to shine in his eyes. The others tactfully ignored him until he had himself under control. He cleared his throat and spoke:  
  
"I just wanna tell you guys that I'm sorry. And grateful."  
  
"It's okay." Said Tanya patting his hand.  
  
"It's not really." He said with a tired laugh. "But I guess we've just got to work around this."  
  
Dive had been quite the whole time and now suddenly stood up.  
  
"It's not fair!" he burst out.  
  
The others looked at him, startled. He blushed and sat back down in his chair and looked gratefully up at Grin who placed a hand on his back and said:  
  
"The scales of life will balance little friend."  
  
Phil pushed his cup away and stood up from the table.  
  
"I suppose that I've got to get going. Get things done before." he trailed off.  
  
"Why don't you stay here tonight?" offered Wing.  
  
"I don't want to impose."  
  
"You wont. It'll be better if we're here when." now Wing trailed off into an embarrassed silence.  
  
"Yeah." Said Phil softly. "I still have to get some stuff from my apartment. I'll be damned if I'm going to let them arrest me in my sweats."  
  
"We'll take you." Said Dive, motioning to himself and Grin. "Then we can get takeout on the way back."  
  
"Chinese for me." Piped up Tanya.  
  
"Italian here." Said Duke.  
  
"Mexican for us?" asked Mal, meaning Grin, Dive and herself.  
  
"And you Phil?" asked Wing.  
  
"I think I'll travel round the world and eat with each of you." He said, bewildered at the variety of foods.  
  
He went back to the room to grab his shoes and coat while Dive wrote down the various orders from his teammates. They hit the road and were soon back with bags filled with steaming cartons of food. Phil had collected his best suit and was busy hanging it in a spare closet when Dive called from the rec room.  
  
"Come and get it!"  
  
Phil looked at himself in the mirror and saw his tired reflection. Then he squared his shoulders and headed out, determined that this would not get him down. During dinner, he sampled everyone's food and decided that Mexican was definitely not for him, at least, not Dive's triple spicy EVERYTHING!  
  
No one said anything about tomorrow, not wanting to disturb the tenuous calm that had settled on them. Turning in early, Phil refused the sedative that Tanya offered him. He figured that he would either sleep or he wouldn't, it didn't really matter either way. But he did sleep, a thin restless sleep that was filled with dreams of papers, jail cells and burning black cars.  
  
***************************  
  
Phil sat up, his heart pounding and sweat clinging to him. He panicked for a moment, the stygian blackness robbing him of his orientation. Then he remembered where he was. He clicked on the bedside lamp and peered at his watch.  
  
Five thirty.  
  
He knew that he would never be able to go back to sleep and got up and went to shower off the greasy film that the dreams had left on him. He dressed carefully and once done, he was at a loss as where to go, what to do. Then he knew.  
  
He quietly let himself out of the underground base and went up to his office. He made himself a sup of coffee and opened all the blinds. Leaning against the desk, he looked out of the window and watched as the sky started turning from black to a sullen grey. There would be no sun today, the sky looked bruised and swollen. He heard the door open behind him but didn't turn around. He knew who it would be, Wing.  
  
Wing had heard Phil leaving and had dressed and then followed him. He figured that Phil would want to be alone, but experience had taught him that in the darkest hours, solitude was the biggest soul killer. He didn't say anything to Phil, just took a cup of brew and leaned on the other side of the desk, sharing the view and the silence. They stood there until the clock was just touching six thirty. Phil turned from the window and sat down behind his desk. Wing took a seat on the other side.  
  
"Looks like more rain today huh?" said Phil, desperate to distract himself from the ticking of the clock.  
  
"Yeah. Tanya says that it's going to rain for the next couple of weeks. Looks like the rainy season came early."  
  
"That's actually a good thing this year. The lawns are in real need of a break."  
  
Phil babbled on about ferns and bulbs and Wing feigned interest, to keep him distracted. Unknown to either of them, an unexpected guest was on their way up to the office.  
  
She stood in the shadows of the hallway and blotted her damp palms on her cargo pants. Through the slightly open door, she could hear Phil talking to someone about plants and rain and she smiled, knowing that he was terrified. She made her way along, listening to the conversation, hoping to find a gap. It came.  
  
"So you've got a green thumb?" asked Wing.  
  
"Not really, but I've always had a knack for growing things, especially daisy's."  
  
"And I've been pushing them up for the last two years."  
  
Wing turned in his chair at the sound of the slightly husky voice and stared. A young woman was leaning in the doorway, one foot over the other, her arms crossed. A strangled noise from Phil made him turn back and he saw that Phil was as white as new flour and his mouth was moving but no sounds were coming out.  
  
"What's the matter Phil?" asked the stranger. "You look like you've seen a ghost." 


	9. Introductions

Disclaimer: Guilty! I borrowed them without permission.  
  
A/N: I am SO sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. Life, it ain't ever a straight road.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
She sauntered into the office and pushed the door shut with her foot. Leaning against the wall, she watched the flood of emotions flow over Phil's face.  
  
He could feel the turmoil inside. Joy, anger, hurt, a sense of betrayal and a little fear coursed though him, each vying for his attention. He gave up the struggle and let the feelings wash over him until they subsided and he could think rationally.  
  
Wing surreptitiously studied her as she watched Phil. She was slender and entirely dressed in black. She had her arms crossed with her hands inside her coat, as if she were getting cold. Given the state of the weather, it didn't surprise him. She suddenly turned her sharp stare onto him, as if she had felt his scrutiny. He tried to hold her gaze, but eventually he dropped his eyes first. What he had seen in her eyes, made him feel distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
Phil had managed to pull himself together enough to stand up from the desk and walk towards her. He didn't know if he wanted to hug her, spank her or throttle her. He settled for a hug. She returned the fierce embrace and he could feel how thin she had gotten, despite the padded jacked that she wore. He held her at arm length and studied her face intently, then cupped it in both hands.  
  
"You're not sleeping enough." He chided softly, running a thumb under the dark smudges beneath her eyes.  
  
"You know me, party now, sleep when I'm dead."  
  
Phil swallowed hard and said in a hoarse voice:  
  
"You were dead."  
  
"And now I'm not."  
  
"But." began Phil but she cut him off.  
  
"Remember what I told you: I said I'd always be there for you Phil. And if it means coming back from the dead, then so be it."  
  
"But what about Mouse's family?"  
  
"They don't matter right now, you do."  
  
"But."  
  
"You're gonna turn into a goat Phil." She said sourly.  
  
Wing was being eaten alive by his curiosity and he was wondering how to interrupt the conversation, when she suddenly half turned from Phil and cocked her head towards the door, listening. He listened as well and heard the others coming towards the door. In one smooth movement, she had spun round and was now facing the slowly opening door.  
  
Duke was deep in an argument with Dive about who was going tell Wing that they had eaten his leftovers for breakfast when he pushed open Phil's door.  
  
"I didn't tell ya to eat it kid."  
  
"But you didn't say not to."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
He gave up and turned from Dive to go into the office and came eye to 'eye' with the business end of a very large handgun. He stood dead still and roved his gaze over the gun, the small hand that held it, up the attached arm to meet eyes that were the same colour as tarnished silver and just as cold. A woolen cap covered her hair, but judging from the eyebrow that was cocked in his direction, she was the red head from Phil's photos.  
  
She coldly looked him over and then a feral smile spread itself across her lips. She gently released the hammer and slowly lowered the gun away from his face.  
  
"Sorry." She said softly. "Reflex."  
  
Turning round, she walked into the room, allowing him and the others, who hadn't seen her or the gun, to come in. she had taken up her place against the wall again and was watching them, the smile gone from her face.  
  
Phil had retreated to behind his desk and she moved to perch on the corner. Wing could see into her jacket from his angle and he could see that there were two holsters under her arms, both full. He could see a third gun in her hand and he wondered what else she had on under that jacket and why she would need to carry them in the first place.  
  
They all stood around, staring at the new face and then Phil cleared his throat, shifting their attention to him.  
  
"Guys, this is Red." He said, motioning to her.  
  
She gave a short nod to them and then held up a hand as Tanya tried to introduce them.  
  
"I know who you all are."  
  
"How did you know that Phil was in trouble?" asked Wing.  
  
"Willy called me."  
  
"I should have known that he was in on this." Muttered Phil. "But how did he know?"  
  
"A little birdie told him." she smirked, looking at Grin. "Correction, make that a big birdie."  
  
"But where have you been for the last two years?" asked Phil. "And why didn't you let me know you were." he trailed off.  
  
"Alive?" piped up Duke.  
  
She glared at him and he held her gaze.  
  
"Back off pal. What you think you know isn't jack and we don't have time for twenty questions."  
  
"Yeah." Said Dive. "Kleggy'll be here any minute."  
  
"Nah." She said, folding herself into a cross-legged position on the desk. "Seems that the police garage had a run in with some vandals early this morning."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Wing suspiciously.  
  
"Three cars had their tires slashed and the rest had their distributor caps stolen." She explained with a sugary tone. "You know, Willy told me that you guys keep crime down - you really ought'a look into this."  
  
"A-hem." Mallory cleared her throat pointedly and Red looked at her. Mal smiled at her coat, where two cables from a cap were hanging out of her pocket. Red grinned, her eyes sparkling from suppressed laughter.  
  
"Why Red?" asked Dive suddenly. "Surely your mom didn't name you that?"  
  
"What my mom called me is none of your business." She said sharply. "But to answer your question."  
  
She pulled off the cap and they could see her hair was in cornrows and was as red as blood.  
  
"We don't have time for this." She said impatiently.  
  
"We don't even know who or what you are." Said Mallory.  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Tanya. "You might be, well, trouble. What with all those guns an' all."  
  
Phil could fee the tensions rising but he knew from past experience that it was better to let Red lay down the rules. He watched as she straightened slightly, a sure sign that she was agitated. But even he was curious about the guns, she had only ever worn one. Now she had three and who only knew what else.  
  
"Me," she said in an icy tone. "I'm a friend of Phil's."  
  
"A friend that rushes to a another's aid is always a true friend." Said Grin from his spot at the window.  
  
"What's with all the guns then? You a cop?" asked Dive.  
  
"An accountant actually." She snapped.  
  
"An armed bean counter?" scoffed Duke.  
  
"Yeah, the most dangerous thing that you should have to deal with is a paper cut." Laughed Mal.  
  
"That depends on whose beans your counting." She said silkily.  
  
They glared at her and she heaved a large sigh, ran her hand over her head and then looked at all of them.  
  
"Let's get one thing straight right now." she said forcefully. "We don't talk about me, ever. My name is Red, I'm Phil's friend - not yours and I do accounting."  
  
Stunned silence met her tirade and she continued in a stronger tone.  
  
"That's all you guy's need to know and that's all your getting."  
  
She turned to Phil and looked at him in the eyes.  
  
"What's going on Phil?"  
  
He explained as briefly as he could and she cut him off mid way through.  
  
"Alright, I get it. Now hand over your apartment keys so I don't have to pick the locks."  
  
He handed over the keys and asked: "what're going to do there?"  
  
"Sleep Phil." She said exasperatedly. "I've been driving for almost three days and I'm bushed."  
  
Grin turned from the window and said:  
  
"They're here."  
  
Wing and Dive looked out and could see Klegghorn getting out of one car and Monica and Magnus standing next to their car. They spoke for a moment and then went to the doors, followed by a uniformed officer. It wasn't soon before they heard footsteps in the hallway and then a tapping on the door. Red tucked her gun into the holster at the small of her back and waited for them to arrive, the fun was about to start.  
  
"Phil," called Magnus. "May we come in?"  
  
"No." called out Red.  
  
Silence ruled for a moment and then Magnus came into the room, followed by Klegghorn. He stared at the amount of people in the office and then turned his attention to Phil.  
  
"I'm sorry Phil. But." he trailed off into a pained silence.  
  
"Yeah right." Muttered Red under her breath.  
  
Klegghorn came round Magnus and was about to speak to Phil when he spotted Red on the table. His eyes widened and he spat out:  
  
"I should have known that this morning's fiasco was your doing."  
  
She kissed the air in front of her and Klegghorn turned away in disgust. He nodded at the uniformed officer, who came round the desk to stand next to Phil.  
  
"Mr. Phil Palmfeather, you are under arrest." the officer droned on about charges and rights. While he was busy, Klegghorn spoke to Red, who had unfolded herself off of the desk and was standing.  
  
"I'm going to be all over you while you're in town." He hissed.  
  
"That's harassment." She said mildly.  
  
"Just watch your step." He snapped back.  
  
Without a word she started to walk out, then she turned back and came to stand in front of Klegghorn. Reaching into her pocket with one hand, she lifted his hand with the other. Slapping the distributor cap into it, she held on and pulled him closer to her. Putting her lips close to his ear, she spoke clearly:  
  
"Blow me."  
  
Then she turned and walked out. 


	10. A promise

Disclaimer: Yadda, yadda, yadda.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The team watched in impotent frustration as the officer cuffed Phil and started to lead him out of the room. Klegghorn placed seals over the draws of the desk and then turned to point at Wing.  
  
"You lot stay out of this one." He warned. "And stay away from that red headed freak - she's bad news."  
  
"Why?" asked Wing.  
  
"Just trust me for once. She's a load of trouble."  
  
"Sounds like you've had a run in with her before." Remarked Mal.  
  
"Something like that."  
  
"Then you should know her, ah, real name." Said Tanya.  
  
"Nope." He said, shaking his head. "I've always known her as Red."  
  
Dive started to ask a question and Klegghorn cut him off.  
  
"Just stay outta this. You can't save the world all the time."  
  
With that caustic remark, he pushed past them and disappeared down the hallway. The ducks looked at each other and the Wing spoke:  
  
"You guys wait in the parking lot, I'll bring the Migrator round." He started off down the hall and then called back over his shoulder:  
  
"And keep an eye out for Red - I think Klegghorn's right on this one."  
  
They all shared a group shrug and then did as they were instructed. As predicted, Red was still in the parking lot, leaning against her car. Tanya ran appreciative eyes over the machine and sidled in for a closer look. Red saw her coming and turned to face her.  
  
"Like it?"  
  
"Yeah." Replied Tanya, ignoring the animosity in Red's tone. "You do the customizing yourself?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
The car was a black Nissan with low profiling and some serious body remodeling. There were no decals or paintwork on the car except for a vanity plate that read:  
  
Red 13  
  
Dive saw this and snickered to Duke:  
  
"She's certainly got your number."  
  
Duke graced this comment with a scowl and then looked at the two women again as a small drama was unfolding.  
  
Tanya bent down to take a look inside and Red hauled her up by her collar.  
  
"No peeking." She snapped. "Everything I own is in there and I don't like strangers looking at my stuff."  
  
Tanya backed off, brushing at her collar. The others had come up as Red had taken hold of her and now Duke was standing in the front.  
  
"You wanna be real careful 'bout how you treat my friends Sweetheart." He said in a silky tone.  
  
She leaned back on the car, tucking her hands into her coat. Giving him an insolent stare, she asked:  
  
"You guys got nothing better to do than wait round here and pry into my stuff?"  
  
"We're waiting to go and bail out Phil." Snapped Dive.  
  
"Ain't gonna happen." She said casually.  
  
"Why not?" demanded Mal.  
  
"Flight risk." She said with a shrug.  
  
"What's that?" asked Tanya.  
  
Red sighed, ran her hands over her head and then looked at her.  
  
"Flight risk is the term used on a suspect that they think will disappear if they let them out on bail. They think Phil's got over three hundred thousand dollars."  
  
"So?" asked Dive, who hadn't twigged yet.  
  
"A person can get real lost with that amount of cash. Drop right off the face of the planet if they wanted."  
  
"And you know this because.?" asked Mal.  
  
Red just looked at her and Mal soon caught on.  
  
They were distracted by the roar of the Migrator and Red whistled appreciatively as she looked it over.  
  
"Nice job." She said to Tanya.  
  
"Gee, ah, thanks." She replied, a little taken aback by the sudden compliment.  
  
Wing pulled up next to them and opened the door.  
  
"All aboard." He called, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"You'd betta' come down Wing." Said Duke sourly.  
  
Wing hopped out with a puzzled expression and turned to Duke.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"We aint gonna get Phil back."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Flight risk." Came the reply from the rest of the team.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Red threw up her hands and stood upright.  
  
"You explain. I'm going."  
  
"Where?" asked Wing.  
  
"None of your business." She snapped. "We might have a mutual acquaintance, but that doesn't make me your friend and it doesn't give you permission to pry."  
  
Dive put up his hands in mock surrender and said in a soothing tone.  
  
"Hey chill. Just wanted to know where to reach you if anything happened."  
  
"Tell Willy. He can reach me."  
  
With that, she got into her car and peeled out of the lot in a burst of speed, leaving the ducks standing around looking at each other.  
  
"O-kay." Said Wing slowly. "Who knows what just happened here?"  
  
"Seems like she's a got a real problem with people. Especially us." Said Tanya.  
  
Grin had been strangely silent the whole time and now he piped up:  
  
"Perhaps her past is of no consequence to the future."  
  
"Huh?" asked Dive.  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't be worried about her, she is Phil's friend after all. He is our main concern at the moment."  
  
"You're right." Said Wing. "Let's concentrate on Phil. We can hammer out the little details later."  
  
"There were nods all round and they piled into the Migrator and Wing headed towards the police station. Inside, Duke had grabbed a seat next to Tanya. He spoke softly in her ear, avoiding the attention of the others.  
  
"You catch those plates?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Run 'em."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Quietly." He advised, leaning away from her.  
  
She nodded and turned to a terminal, patching into Drake 1.  
  
Wing had been watching them in the rearview mirror and he guessed that Duke wasn't about to let this go so quickly. He figured that it could do no harm to have an idea of who they were dealing with. He turned his attention back to the road and carried on to the station.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Red pulled up outside Phil's apartment block and looked up to where his window was. She got out and started up the fire escape, not wanting to meet anyone on the inside stairs. She had guessed that the police would have tossed the place and she was right. They had left nothing unturned and the place was a mess. She checked that the door was locked and then she set to and tidied the place up. In the bedroom, she came across the photo collage and smiled softly, remembering.  
  
When the place was back to rights, she brought up some stuff from the car. She planned to have a shower, a nap and then go and scare the living hell out of some people.  
  
* Ah, it's good to be home. * She thought to herself.  
  
At the police station:  
  
"What do you mean, no bail?" called Wing.  
  
"There's too much risk of him disappearing." Said the officer in charge. "We call it."  
  
"Flight Risk." Interrupted Dive. "Yeah - we heard about that."  
  
"Well, can we at least see him?" asked Wing.  
  
"Sure." He said. "Two at a time."  
  
Being the senior members of the team, Wing and Duke went to see Phil. He sat down on the other side of the glass partition, wearing one of the viscous orange jumpsuits that you saw on TV. It didn't suit him and Duke told him as much.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Said Phil.  
  
"Sorry Phil." Said Wing apologetically. "We can't get you out on bail."  
  
"I figured as much when Red asked for my keys."  
  
"She did actually warn us that you probably wouldn't get bail." Confessed Wing.  
  
Phil nodded and then said:  
  
"She would."  
  
"What's the deal with her?" asked Duke. "I mean her middle name should be antisocial."  
  
Phil sat back for a moment and looked at the ceiling, as if looking for guidance. He looked decidedly uncomfortable, as if the subject pained him. Eventually, he looked at them.  
  
"Guys, I need a promise from you."  
  
"What for?" asked Duke, suspiciously.  
  
"I need you to promise that you won't go digging into her past. If she tells you, fine. But don't go looking and don't press her. It's complicated and it's not my place to tell you the story."  
  
"That sounds like a bad movie plot." Said Duke.  
  
"I know - but there's really nothing else that I can tell you. If I did, she'd never speak to me again - ever."  
  
Phil was getting agitated and Wing surmised that whatever it was that Phil couldn't tell them, it meant a lot to him. He nodded and said:  
  
"Sure Phil. We promise not to pry."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"But we will be keeping an eye on her." he added. "Draggy's going to make use of every opportunity as soon as he finds out what's happened and I don't think you want her dragged into our fight."  
  
Phil nodded and then gave a brief chuckle.  
  
"She won't like it if she spots you, you know." He warned.  
  
"She won't." said Duke confidently.  
  
"I bet she's already butted heads with you." Smirked Phil.  
  
"How d'ya guess?" he asked in a wry tone.  
  
"You two are actually very much alike - that makes an explosive situation. Especially since her temper is so short."  
  
"Yeah well." Said Duke. "I plan to watch - not talk."  
  
They finished up their visit and then they joined up with the rest of the team who were waiting inside the Migrator. They went back to the Pond and separated to get ready for afternoon practice. Duke made sure that Wing was out of earshot and then went to Tanya.  
  
"You find anything?" 


	11. Evening plans

Disclaimer: Um. not mine?  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Tanya had been told about the promise made to Phil and she was nervous about going against an order. She made sure that the door was closed and then she turned to Duke.  
  
"There's nothing current on the plates, but there are some charges that were settled."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Speeding fines and parking tickets."  
  
"So there's nothing really bad on there?" Duke sounded almost disappointed.  
  
"There is a flag on them." she admitted.  
  
"A flag?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. She's been seen street racing, but never caught or charged. So where ever she goes, the authorities know that she could be a racer."  
  
"So she's a speed demon." Said Duke, almost to himself. "Wonder how she pays for all that gear?"  
  
"Dunno. There's nothing here that I can use."  
  
"What d'ya mean?" he asked, confused.  
  
"The name is listed as Red and the address isn't here in Anaheim. She's been living in some place called Pasadena. The rest of the information comes up a bust."  
  
"Social Security number?"  
  
"Same thing. Red, Pasadena and a postal address."  
  
"So no work details?"  
  
"Not on here."  
  
"No police record besides the racing?"  
  
"So clean she squeaks." Said Tanya shaking her head. "Why are you so interested in her?"  
  
"Klegghorn said she's bad news. I wanna see how bad."  
  
"Well, until I got somethin' more to go on, this is all your gonna get."  
  
"Thanks Tanya." Said Duke, heading towards the door. He stopped as he was going out and said:  
  
"I'd like to keep it quiet, till we got more. Okay?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
He nodded and then headed off to his quarters to get done before practice. He was asking himself why he was so interested in her.  
  
* Maybe I'm just paranoid. * He thought to himself.  
  
He grabbed his stuff and ran off to the rink, just in time too. Wing was starting to talk to the team. He slid in at the back and listened. The practice was long and hard, to make up for the one's that they had lost during all the drama. Afterwards, they gathered in the ready room to discuss what they were going to do, now that Phil was temporarily out of the picture.  
  
"I think that we go ahead with tomorrows game." Said Mal. "There's no sense in letting the public know that there's an internal problem."  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Dive. "The adoring fans would be stricken without their regular dose of Moi."  
  
"Ha ha." Said Wing. He was about to carry on when the buzzer sounded from the change room. They looked on the monitor to see Magnus standing around, looking for them. They all shared a look and then took the elevator up to the surface.  
  
"I got a bad feelin' 'bout this." Muttered Duke.  
  
Magnus turned to look at them as they came in and he looked impatient.  
  
"Where have you lot been?" he snapped. "I've had my secretary looking all over for you."  
  
"We were at the police station." Said Tanya pointedly.  
  
Magnus suddenly sagged as if his spine had turned to jelly. He slumped onto a nearby bench and put his head in his hands.  
  
"I've don't what to do." He said in an anguished tone. "I think that I've made a mistake."  
  
"Yeah." Said Duke. "You did."  
  
"So what are you going to do about it?" asked Wing.  
  
Magnus looked at each of them in turn and then shook his head.  
  
"There's nothing that I can do. The wheels were set in motion by our auditors and now it's completely out of my hands."  
  
"The river of fate must be allowed to run it's course." Said Grin.  
  
"Now that one I get." Said Dive. "Let things happen and see where we end up."  
  
"Precisely." Said Grin.  
  
Magnus seemed to have pulled himself together and stood up. He straightened his tie and then looked at Wing.  
  
"As the acting team manager, I have postponed all the games that were scheduled for the next two weeks."  
  
An outcry met his ears and he held up his hands for silence.  
  
"I don't want to make any wrong choices for you guys and when Phil gets back, he can reschedule them for you. Enjoy the break, even if it is brought around by sad circumstances."  
  
He left the room suddenly, giving them no chance to try and change his mind.  
  
"Alright!" said Dive suddenly, scaring Tanya in the process.  
  
"Gimme' a heart attack huh?" she scolded.  
  
"Aheh," he said sheepishly. "Sorry, got a little excited."  
  
"This could be a good thing." Said Wing, as they boarded the elevator. "Have a little time to ourselves, take a break from it all, including practice."  
  
"My brother passing up a chance to practice!" exclaimed Dive, feeling Wing's forehead for a temperature.  
  
"Ha ha Dive." He said, pushing the hand away and tickling him under the ribs.  
  
The tickling spread and by the time the elevator reached the ground, they were all engaged in a tickle war of epic proportions. The doors opened and they spilled to the floor, Dive on the bottom, Wing and Duke in the middle and Mal on the top. Tanya was busy trying to fend of Grin who was distracting her on one side and sneaking an attack from the other side. Mal slid off and the two older drakes stood up. Dive lay still for a second or two and then sat up with a wheeze.  
  
"Gee Mal," he said breathlessly. "What've you been eating?"  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed, straddling him and attacking from both sides. The rest had stopped to catch their breath and watched this second wave with amusement. Dive was turning a pleasant shade of blue when Wing decided that he had had enough. He bodily lifted Mal off and gave his bother a hand up off the floor.  
  
"I think that's enough for now." he said. "Lets save some of this energy for tonight."  
  
"What's tonight?" he asked.  
  
"We're going out." he announced.  
  
"Out?" chorused the rest of the team.  
  
"Yeah. I thought that we could have a nice dinner out and then hit a movie or something."  
  
"I could go for that." said Mal.  
  
"Me too." Agreed Tanya.  
  
The rest spoke out their agreement.  
  
"Then it's settled." Said Wing. "We can meet in the ready room at about six and take it from there."  
  
They dispersed along the hallways to their various tasks:  
  
Mal and Tanya to pick out something interesting to wear, Dive to the mall for some new comics, Wing to make sure that everything was okay and Duke - to do whatever it was that Duke did. Grin was obviously going to meditate.  
  
Meanwhile, at Phil's place:  
  
Red finished unpicking the last of the cornrows and rubbed at her stinging scalp. She went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. While waiting for the water to heat up, she adjusted the towel that she had draped over the mirror, not wanting it to slip off while she was under the water. She stripped off and stepped into the cubicle, relishing the scalding water. She had napped first and was now feeling refreshed and ready for the evening's work. While she soaped up, she mentally ran through her plans for the evening and picked through the day's events. By the time she turned off the water, the room was clouded with steam and she was as pink as a shrimp. She briskly toweled off and stepped into her clothes. Then she tided the bathroom and opened the door to let the steam dissipate.  
  
Duke was squatting on the fire escape and watched as she emerged from the bathroom in a cloud. She came over to the bed, sat with her back to him and started dumping stuff out of a bag. She found her brush and started pulling the tangles from the waves of hair that fell to her waist. She wore a pair of trousers and a halter-top, all black, all leather. As the hair moved, he kept getting glimpses of markings on her back that he eventually identified as tattoos. Duke was fascinated and almost missed her turning around. He quickly fell backwards off of the platform and hung out of sight as she faced the window. He quietly attached his grappling hook to the fire escape and dropped to the ground. After reeling in the rope, he walked round the corner to where he had hidden the duck cycle and took off back to the Pond.  
  
Red stared at the window, sure that she had seen something there. Sticking her head out, she could see nothing except the empty street below. With a thoughtful look on her face, she ducked back into the apartment to finished getting ready. It was time to go home. 


	12. Stories, bats and whiskey

Disclaimer: You figure it out.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Wing was waiting in the ready room with the rest of the drakes. As usual, the women were holding them up. As the door hissed open, he turned, wanting to give them a scolding and the words died in his throat.  
  
* Man! * He thought to himself. * I never realized that Mal or Tanya could look so good in a plain pair of jeans. *  
  
Instead of saying that out loud, which would have earned him a good whack across the ear, he said:  
  
"It's about time you two showed up. We've been waiting."  
  
"Good things come to those who wait." Said Grin, eyeing out Tanya.  
  
"Thank you, Kind Sir." Snickered Tanya.  
  
"Are we all done and ready?" asked Dive. "My stomach thinks throat's been cut."  
  
"Yeah, we're done." Said Wing. "Let's go."  
  
They boarded the Migrator and headed off to a nice restaurant that Wing had spotted when Dive had dragged him to the mall. He had been planning a visit there since they were clean, quiet and not interested in sports. He was actually getting a little tired of all the attention from the fans.  
  
* Not that its unpleasant to be admired. * He admitted to himself. * But it's annoying when you can't go out without being mobbed. *  
  
The others were impressed with the place and they settled into a large booth in a corner, far from the door. They ordered drinks and chased the waiter away, while they perused the menus.  
  
"Yuck!" exclaimed Mal as she read through the poultry section. "That's just evil."  
  
"What?" asked Dive, craning his head around Duke to see what page she was on. He quickly flicked to the same and page and gave a similar reaction.  
  
"Eeew!" he groaned. "That's cannibalism."  
  
"What, you just notice that kid?" asked Duke. "They've been eating it for years."  
  
"Well, we wont be." stated Tanya firmly, having caught up to them.  
  
That little drama aside, they called the waiter back and placed their orders for various seafoods, steaks and salads. While they were waiting, Dive asked if they wanted to play a game.  
  
"What game?" asked Wing suspiciously, not wanting a disaster on his hands.  
  
"Rigmarole."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Rigmarole." Repeated Dive. "I start a story and then when I stop, the person next to me takes over."  
  
The others considered this and then agreed to play along.  
  
"Alright!" said Dive. "Once upon a time."  
A little earlier that evening:  
  
Red pulled up outside of the Rusty Nail and took a deep breath. She knew that coming here would let everyone know that she was back in town and she was wondering if that was a good idea, under the circumstances.  
  
"Sod it!" she said out loud. "They'll find out sooner or later, and I want a drink."  
  
She took one last look at her hair and then opened the car door, allowing the thunderous sounds of Rob Zombie to roll out across the parking lot. A few people turned to look, but no of them recognized her. She stood up, locked the car and made her way to the door. She paused just inside the entrance, waiting to catch the attention of the bouncer. He just finished opening the door for a couple and when he turned, she stepped up close to him.  
  
"Boo." She said.  
  
The man jerked, clearly startled. Then he bent and took a closer look at her.  
  
"Red?" he said carefully, as if getting it wrong would mean trouble.  
  
"Yeah Barney. It's me."  
  
"Where, what, huh?"  
  
"Long story man." She said, using him as a cover to look round the corner to see who was there. "I'll tell you some time."  
  
"You'd better."  
  
"Willy here?"  
  
"Yeah. Probably behind the bar since the junior quit this morning."  
  
"I think I'll go lend a hand then." She smirked.  
  
As she stepped past Barney, she patted his shoulder. "Better be ready for some trouble big guy, it wont take long for them to find out I'm back."  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
She favored him with a smile and then stepped inside and made her way through the people to the bar. Willy saw her coming and he crossed his arms and waited for her. As she reached him, he called out:  
  
"You're late. We opened two hours ago."  
  
"Yeah well. I'm here now."  
  
"Humph."  
  
"Need a hand?"  
  
Willy nodded and then walked down the bar to tend to a customer that was waving to get attention. Red sat on the bar and swung over to the other side. Reaching for a bottle, she poured herself a shot and downed it.  
  
"Man," she said. "It's good to be home."  
  
Back at the restaurant:  
  
"So then the sailor put the donkey in the bathtub and they all lived happily ever after." Said Wing with a flourish.  
  
"That's the last time I play that with you." Sulked Dive.  
  
"Why?" asked Wing with mock innocence. "I just told the story."  
  
"Yeah!" said Dive. "The most outrageous story that I have ever heard - even Grin's part about the singing rock was more believable."  
  
"You're just jealous that Wing came up with something better than your invisible surfboard." Said Mal, ruffling Dive's hair.  
  
"Yeah well." He mumbled. "But it was fun huh?" he added brightly.  
  
They had continued the story during their meal and by now, the table was a demolition zone of empty plates and bowls. Wing signaled the waiter to bring the bill and while they waited, they debated on which movie to see.  
  
"No Dive." Said Wing adamantly. "We're not going to see Killer Zombies 14."  
  
"Ah man." He pouted. "Mookie said that it was the best one so far."  
  
"What about an action movie instead?" asked Wing.  
  
"Don't you think that we see more action in real life?" asked Mal.  
  
"You gotta point there sweetheart." Agreed Duke.  
  
"How about a comedy?" suggested Grin.  
  
"Yeah." Said Dive. "That new one should be out now."  
  
"What new one?" asked Mal, grabbing her coat.  
  
"You see, there's this guy."  
  
The team slid out of the booth, settled the bill and walked through the mall to the cinema. All the way there, Dive was trying to explain the plot to Mallory, who was purposely misunderstanding, just to make him crazy. They bought tickets and settled into the darkness.  
  
Back at the Rusty Nail:  
  
Red was busy pouring double shots when she heard a lull in the conversation. She finished the shots, put both bottles back on the shelf and then purposely ignored the three men that had walked up to the bar. The lead man smirked at the slight and settled onto a stool to wait for her. And wait he did. Willy and Red did everything that they could to waste time before she even bothered to look in his direction. When she finally bothered to pay attention to him, he was already seething with impatience. She sauntered over to him, flicked a hand in the direction of his companions and said:  
  
"Sorry Jack, no pets allowed. I'm gonna have to ask you to take your dogs outside."  
  
"Funny." He sneered. "I'll have a whiskey and soda."  
  
She didn't reply, just turned to fix his drink. While she was pouring the alcohol, she pushed the bell that alerted the bouncer on duty. There was no answering reply and a cold tingle slid along her spine. She signaled Willy and went to add soda. The soda pump was in the middle of the back wall and she met Willy there. Speaking quietly, she told him:  
  
"I think that you'd better get some help in here. Barney's not answering the bell and I know he 'aint in the can."  
  
Willy nodded and then slipped into the office to make a call. Meanwhile, Red had her hands full. She walked back to him and in the process of putting his drink down, slid it across the top and landed it in his lap. He stood up quickly, wiping furiously at the wet spot that now marked the whole front of his pants.  
  
"You little bitch." He hissed. "That was deliberate."  
  
"Yeah." She said, casually leaning back against the drink shelf, her hands feeling under the ledge. "Your point is?"  
  
The people in the bar had stopped to look at the drama that was going on and some of the more prudent ones were leaving, recognizing trouble brewing. The rest went back to their drinks, unconcerned. Jack stopped wiping at the stain and gave a chilly smile.  
  
"I think we've dallied long enough. You're going to come with us."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
Red's hands had closed around the bat and she felt the familiar shiver of anticipation run though her.  
  
Jack stepped back behind his companions and said:  
  
"I'll let Romulus and Remus persuade you."  
  
The two men started forwards, but before they could reach her, she had leapt up onto the bar and was swinging at their heads. She managed to land three solid blows on their shoulders before Romulus managed to get a grip on the bat and yank it out of her hands. The force of the yank unbalanced her slightly and to keep from falling off the bar, she had to drop to one knee. Remus moved in to grab her and she threw herself backwards, landing heavily on the floor behind the bar. Scrabbling to her feet, she grabbed the first bottle she could and threw it Remus. It hit him on the temple and he dropped out of sight.  
  
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Direct hit."  
  
She climbed back up and aimed a kick at Romulus' head as he bent to look at Remus. The blow staggered him enough to give her a chance to drop to the floor and take back her bat.  
  
"Didn't your mamma ever teach you not to snatch?" she snapped, as she swung at his ribs. "It's rude."  
  
By this time, the rest of the customers had either fled or were cowering under their tables. She wanted to see where Jack had slithered off to but couldn't take her eyes off her task at hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Remus beginning to stir and she started to move out of his reach, dancing around Romulus' fists. What she didn't see, was Jack moving in behind her.  
  
Jack had gone to jam the office door, trapping Willy inside. He had then moved up behind Red as she went toe to toe with Romulus. He raised a bottle and prepared to smash it into the back of her skull. 


	13. More violence

Disclaimer: Ho hum  
  
A/N: I just want to say a massive Thank You to all of you guys that have kept on reading my story and have given me so much encouragement. This still has a way to go, so I hope that you'll stick along for the rest of the ride.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Grin was laughing at the misfortunes of Adam Sandler when he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. He slid out of his end row seat and quickly walked out. Standing in the dimly lit hallway, he answered it.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Grin, we need a hand here. Barney's been taken out and I'm locked in the office." Willy sounded frantic.  
  
"Where's the junior barkeep?"  
  
"He quit this morning - Red's here and that's who they're going after."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Trouble makers." Snapped Willy. "Just get here, she can't hold them off forever."  
  
He rang off and slipped back into the theater. He tapped Wing on the shoulder and whispered the situation to him. Wing passed the message down the row and they all slipped out quietly. While they were driving to Willy's, they changed into their battle gear, not wanting to be caught unawares.  
  
Wing parked up on the sidewalk and they piled inside. Barney was out cold with a nasty looking bump on the back of his head. Tanya stayed with him to make sure it wasn't too serious. Wing and Duke took point while Mal and Dive escorted the frightened patrons out. They had arrived just in time to see Red land her boot upside of Romulus' head and snatch back her baseball bat.  
  
Duke went to take Remus out of the equation while Grin started to move in on Romulus. Wing was going to let Willy out of the office when he saw Jack appear behind Red with a bottle in his hand. He shouted out a warning and dived towards them, but he wasn't in time.  
  
Red her someone shout her name and at the same time, realized that there was someone behind her. She turned slightly see who it was, just as Jack swung. The bottle slammed full on into the side of her head and she saw sparks explode in front of her. Her head spinning, she dropped to her knees and jabbed the bat into Jack's groin. He landed in a heap in front of her where she punched him in the mouth, laying him flat. Struggling against the fuzziness in her head and blinded by blood in her eye, she spat blood in his direction and then started to struggle to her feet. Someone's arms came around her to try and help her, but she shrugged them off, not knowing who it was.  
  
"I'm fine." She snapped. "Go find Willy and Barney."  
  
She wiped the blood out of her eyes and saw that it was Wing who had helped her up. Putting a hand to her head, she could feel that the bottle had split open the skin over her temple and the blood was pouring down her neck and onto her shoulder. Through the cloudiness in her mind, she remembered what she had been doing. Looking around frantically, she could see Grin had Romulus in a headlock and Duke was busy tying up Remus. Jack had managed to slither away unnoticed. Within moments, the two thugs were restrained and subdued.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Wing.  
  
She looked at him and he could see the blood seeping from her face and running out the corner of her mouth. She wiped at it and flicked it off her hand in his direction.  
  
"Sorry." Said Wing sheepishly. "Dumb question."  
  
She steadied herself against the bar and then looked towards the office, where Dive had just let Willy out. He rushed up to her and examined the wound.  
  
"You okay Baby-girl?"  
  
She turned on him with a look of utter disgust forming on her face and then it faded as her knees started to give out. She struggled to stay on her feet and then gave up and leaned heavily on Willy. He led her over to a table and sat her down in a chair. Stiffly, she leaned forward, resting her head in her hands. By this time, the rest of the ducks had finished and were standing around the table.  
  
She felt Willy examine the wound and then he sat back and said:  
  
"Should see a doctor, gonna need threads."  
  
"No doctor." Said Red firmly. "You can do it, like before."  
  
"This is your face Red." Said Willy gently. "Not just something that if I screw up I can cover with ink."  
  
"Just do it Willy." She said tiredly. "My face aint' that important."  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that." said Wing softly, making sure that she didn't hear him.  
  
Willy left to go and get some supplies and while he was gone, Grin came back in with Barney draped over one shoulder. He laid him out on the floor. Red sprang to her feet when she saw them.  
  
"Is he okay?"  
  
"He's fine. Just a bump on the head." Said Tanya from behind Grin. "A good nights sleep will fix him up."  
  
Red breathed a sigh of relief and sagged back into the chair, the pounding in her head increasing. She was overcome by the fuzziness and was only vaguely aware of Willy coming back with a familiar box. She felt him sit next to her and examine the wound. He turned as spoke to one of the ducks, she wasn't too clear on which one.  
  
"I'll need some warmish water and a bottle of vodka." He said to Duke.  
  
"Does it matter which one?" he asked.  
  
"Absolut." Red mumbled.  
  
"You heard the lady." Said Willy with a wry smile.  
  
He got the water and the bottle and put them on the table, together with a glass. Red reached out for the bottle and poured a generous amount. With a slightly shaking hand, she downed it. The spirit burned the cuts in her mouth and then a blessed numbness set in. She leaned back and motioned to Willy.  
  
"Get on with it."  
  
Willy first used the water to wash off most of the blood and then soaked a cloth in the spirits and wiped at the cut on her face. She never flinched but when he had finished, she opened her eyes and saw the team looking on. She scowled at them, the motion bringing forth fresh blood. Willy tisked at her and wiped again.  
  
"You lot gonna sit there all night?" she snapped.  
  
"We just wanted to make sure that everything's alright." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah." She sighed. "It's just peachy."  
  
She gave a small hiss as Willy carefully started to stitch the cut closed, glared at him and then looked at Wing again.  
  
"Look." She said tiredly. "Thanks for the assist, but you'd better get outta here before the cops show up."  
  
"Hey." Said Dive. "The cops know we're the good guys."  
  
"But they think she's the bad guy." Mumbled Willy, the needle sticking out of his mouth as he tied off a stitch. He was sweating profusely with concentration, not wanting to make the stitches too big or too tight.  
  
"Why?" asked Mal curiously.  
  
"Mal." Said Wing in a warning tone.  
  
"Uh, yeah." She said hurriedly. "Never mind."  
  
Red looked at her curiously and then figured that it didn't matter. She ignored them and closed her eyes again as Willy continued to stitch the laceration shut. When he was finished, he dressed it with a small gauze patch and took a good look at her. Her face was slightly swollen from the blow and bruising was already forming down the side of her face. She would look dreadful in the morning.  
  
She opened her eyes as if she had felt him looking and asked:  
  
"You done?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then I gotta split."  
  
"But it's late and you're hurt."  
  
"Yeah, I can feel that." she said wryly. "But they've probably trashed Phil's place because they didn't find me there."  
  
"We can take you there." offered Wing.  
  
She turned a level gaze on him and then shook her head.  
  
"Nah, my car's still parked out front. But thanks for the offer."  
  
"But won't they come back?" asked Dive.  
  
"Probably." She said with a shrug. "But I won't be alone this time."  
  
"Who'll be with you?" asked Mal.  
  
She gave a lopsided smirk and then said:  
  
"I have three friends that take a very personal interest in my safety."  
  
Dive caught on to what she was referring to and asked:  
  
"So where they?"  
  
She looked at him as if he was crazy and asked just that:  
  
"Are you crazy?" she asked. "Don't you know that guns and alcohol are an extremely bad combo."  
  
He gave her a puzzled look and she turned her back on him, while throwing her hands up in the air.  
  
"Innocents!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Hey!" he protested, "I've seen lots of action."  
  
"Yeah, well you obviously never worked."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Don't take guns to a bar, on a job or to work."  
  
Duke picked up on something in that sentence that made him curious.  
  
"On a job?" he asked. "What job?"  
  
She immediately closed her expression and said:  
  
"Work, job, same thing." With that, he grabbed her coat and keys and started towards the door. She stopped by Barney and turned back to Willy.  
  
"Make sure that he gets home huh?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
She was nearly out the door when she remembered something he had said and popped her head back in.  
  
"Speaking of ink, I think it's time for those touch ups. It's healed over pretty good."  
  
"I'll check it out sometime."  
  
She nodded, then vanished behind the door.  
  
He watched her leave and then Wing turned to him and asked:  
  
"Should we be letting her go off alone like this?"  
  
"I don't think we have a choice." He said with a shrug. "If we try and keep her in sight, sooner or later she'll just give you the slip."  
  
Wing looked at him but didn't say anything. He turned to Grin and told him to load Barney into the Migrator. They would take him home.  
  
"What are we gonna do with the trash here?" asked Duke, nudging Remus with his foot.  
  
"Leave it outside on the curb." said Willy curtly. "Trash takes care of itself around here."  
  
"Won't they make trouble for you when their buddies show up?" asked Tanya.  
  
"Nah." He moved around to the bar and they noticed for the first time that he limped. "They'll be more interested in Red."  
  
"Which means she shouldn't be alone." Said Wing firmly.  
  
"If you can find her, you can try and convince her of that." smirked Willy.  
  
"Whatd'ya mean?" asked Duke suspiciously.  
  
"She's long gone out of Phil's place. Probably rented something the day she arrived here."  
  
"Oh." Said Wing, rather flatly. "Then I suppose that there's nothing more for us to do here."  
  
The gang rounded up and after greeting Willy, trailed out of the bar and piled back into the Migrator. Under directions from Grin, they drove into the night, towards Barney's place.  
  
Meanwhile, Red had reached Phil's place and was unsurprised to find that the place was in a mess. She started to put things to rights when she came across the spare keys to his office. She tossed them up and caught them with a thoughtful expression. She finished the apartment quickly and then went down the fire escape and got into her car. She drove out of the alley carefully, not wanting to attract attention. But when she hit the open road, she put pedal to the metal and race along the empty streets, straight towards the Pond.  
  
She parked around a block from the Pond, not wanting her car to be recognized by any security that they might have patrolling the grounds. She sneaked up to the back door and using Phil's keys, slipped quietly inside. She made her way to Phil's office, using the relevant keys to get around the security system. Stepping inside the office, she closed the door behind her and turned on the lamp, making sure that the blinds were firmly closed. She settled into his chair and breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave. It was comforting. Then she got to business and started to riffle through the files, blissfully unaware of the chaos that she had created underground.  
  
Wing was just dropping off to sleep when the alarm went off. He stumbled from his bed and made his way to the ready room as fast as he could - which wasn't that fast. When he got there, he could see that his teammates were in a similar condition. Dive wasn't with them since the alarm hadn't disturbed him. Tanya turned off the alarm and called up the report on the screen.  
  
"Someone's in Phil's office!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Can we tell who?" asked Wing.  
  
"Yeah." She nodded, her fingers flying over the keys. "I installed a camera in there."  
  
She called up the live feed and the team gathered round the monitor to see who their midnight (Early hours of the morning actually.) visitor was. Wing wasn't actually too surprised to see Red. She was sitting at the desk, flicking through papers.  
  
Wing shook his head and turned to the team.  
  
"You guys go back to bed, Duke and I'll handle this one."  
  
"You sure?" asked Mal.  
  
"Yeah." Said Duke. "Kid probably got in usin' the keys she took."  
  
The two drakes headed to the elevator and the team shuffled back to bed.  
  
Red was chewing on the end of a pencil when she heard the near silent whine of the elevator. She immediately assumed that she had tripped some alarm and that the Rent-a-cops were coming to investigate. She stuffed the papers back into the draws and turned off the lamp. She was about to open the door when she heard them in the hall. Cursing under her breath, she opened a window and then hid in Phil's coat closet and jammed the door. She listened intently.  
  
Wing slammed open the door and Duke switched on the lights. Both were slightly let down when they found nothing. A light breeze stirred the blinds and Wing pulled them aside and checked outside.  
  
"Nothing." he said with a yawn. "She probably skipped out the window when she heard us coming."  
  
"Maybe." Said Duke, listening hard. He wasn't completely convinced that she was gone and he looked around for alternative hiding places. Spotting the closet, he moved closer.  
  
"Or maybe not."  
  
He yanked open the door, fully expecting to find Red in between the coats. He was disappointed when he saw nothing except Phil's coats, rain shoes and spare briefcase. He activated his saber and poked in the darker corners, just to be sure. Wing smirked and said:  
  
"She's small but she's not that small."  
  
"Yeah." Said Duke, slightly embarrassed. "She got clear this time, but she wont next time."  
  
"There won't be a next time." said Wing, holding up the keys that she had left on the desk. "I got the keys."  
  
Duke grinned and said:  
  
"Like I said, amateur."  
  
Closing the window, turning off the light and locking the door behind them, they left the office and headed to the lift, the only thought on their minds, bed.  
  
Back in the closet's heating duct, Red was fuming.  
  
She made sure that they weren't coming back and then lifted the grill and slid out the duct. She replaced the grill and stepped out of the closet with a smirk.  
  
* Didn't know that Phil likes to keep his coat warm in winter did ya boys? *  
  
With this thought in mind, she opened the window again and slipped out, closing it behind her. She made her way around the edge of the building and then shinned down a drainage pipe. She climbed the fence and set off to her car.  
  
The sun was coming up when she arrived at her new place. Grabbing her stuff, she climbed up the fire escape and climbed trough the window. She threw her bag on the sofa and went to the kitchen to raid the fridge. After eating a sandwich of Dive-ian proportions, she went up to the roof and watched the sun rise. Sleep wasn't an option and besides, she had a point to prove.  
  
"Amateur!" she snapped at no one in particular. "Let's see what I can do about this misunderstanding."  
  
She went back inside and starting plotting her revenge on a certain grey drake. 


	14. Payback

Disclaimer: Whatever.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
As the sun rose, Red paced around the roof, scheming. Across town, the object of her plans was just getting up.  
  
Duke yawned and opened his eye. The blank ceiling met his gaze and he sighed. Although fighting Dragonus was noble and exciting, life was getting into a bit of a rut and he wondered if his feelings of an impending change were wrong. He swung out of his bed and decided to hit the gym. Pulling on his sweats he thought about what had happened the previous night. There was something extremely familiar about Red and he was determined to find out what. Shelving that train of thought for a while, he went to the gym and started a heavy workout.  
  
He was going through a sword routine when he heard the door open behind him. Finishing with a flourish, he turned to see who had come in - it was Dive.  
  
"Hey man," he said. "The invisible man back again?"  
  
"Funny kid." Grinned Duke. "Nah, didn't want the arm getting' rusty."  
  
"You?" asked Dive in a fake incredulous tone. "Rusty, nope. Old, maybe."  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
Duke put away the saber and launched himself at Dive. The youngster knew that the attack would be coming and managed to dodge the first attack but wasn't quick enough to avoid the rebound. Duke danced around him and then grabbed him in a headlock and proceeded to muss up Dive's do.  
  
"Uncle! Uncle!" he gasped as Duke switched from his head to his ribs.  
  
Duke let him go with a chuckle and said:  
  
"Old huh?"  
  
Dive shook his head as he battled to get his hair back into a semblance of a style. He gave it up as a bad job and just tied it far back from his face. He knew what was coming next.  
  
"Seriously kid," said Duke. "How did I grab you?"  
  
Dive shrugged and this was the start of another self-defense lesson. They had been at it for almost an hour when Wing came in. He watched the two for a moment, glad that there was someone to teach Dive if something happened to him. Then he called out:  
  
"You two going to be here all day or you going to stop for breakfast?"  
  
Dive turned the moment he heard his brother's voice and Duke kicked him in the back of his knees, sending him to the mats. Duke pointed his finger at Dive's head.  
  
"Bang. You're dead kid."  
  
"Not fair!" exclaimed Dive. "I was distracted!"  
  
"Distractions can come in the middle of a battle Dive." Said Wing. "In the middle of a game too. You need to keep your concentration centered on the here and now."  
  
"You sound like Grin." Said Dive sourly. "But I'm getting better!" he added brightly.  
  
"Yeah you are." Said Duke as he mopped his sweaty face with a towel. "But right now, I think breakfast is in order."  
  
The three made their way to the kitchen where the others were already eating. They looked at Duke and Dive with horror.  
  
"You guys have the energy for that at after last night?" asked Mal incredulously.  
  
"Umm humm." Said Dive around a mouthful of pancake that he had snitched off of Grin's plate.  
  
The team ate breakfast in silence, no one wanting to ask the obvious question. Eventually Tanya got tired of the suspense and asked:  
  
"So what are we like doing today?"  
  
Everyone looked at Wing, who answered promptly:  
  
"Practice."  
  
Groans abounded round the table and he held up his hands.  
  
"Just an afternoon one. We can't afford not to practice at all."  
  
A grumbling of agreement went round and Wing smiled in satisfaction.  
  
After breakfast, Dive and Grin went off to Captain Comics and Wing settled into the ready room with a book - since it was his turn at monitor duty. Tanya holed up in her lab, which left Duke wandering around, feeling a little lost. Eventually he decided to go to the park and get some fresh air. Meanwhile, Mal was plotting.  
  
She had noticed that Tanya had been looking a little down lately and after fishing around, realized that she was feeling worn down and threadbare. Mal knew that the best pick me up for a girl in that condition was a change - a big one. And besides, it might give her a push in the right direction of somebody. So she was flying round her room, picking up things and talking a mile a minute on the phone.  
  
"So we're on for tomorrow right?"  
  
She paused to listen to the voice on the other end and then nodded at the phone. There was no reply so she shouted into the phone:  
  
"Hello, Pablo? I said yes."  
  
"Oh, yeah I probably was nodding at it."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know you can't see me."  
  
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Bye."  
  
She ended the call and put the cordless back in its cradle. She surveyed the room and decided that it needed some more work and she got stuck in, grinning inside and out at the plans for her friend.  
  
In the park, Duke had found a nice sunny spot on a bench and was taking advantage of the break in the clouds. He could see that it would probably rain later and he made a mental note to keep an eye on the weather. He was just starting to doze when his com unit went off. He answered lazily  
  
"Umm?"  
  
"You sleeping there Duke?" asked Dive.  
  
"Nah, just catchin' some rays. What's up?"  
  
"The Grinmeister and I was gonna get some lunch - you want in?"  
  
"Yeah why not. Where are you?"  
  
They settled their arrangements and Duke set off to meet them at the mall. He was unaware of the tail that he had picked up.  
  
Red had parked her car in the mall's lot and decided to have a sandwich in the park. She had just finished when she spotted Duke on the bench. She decided to stop a moment and watch. She grinned as he got up and trotted off in the same direction as she was going and she decided to tail him for fun. Making it the whole way to the mall, she vanished round a corner as she saw the others in the distance. Peering round the corner, she saw them go into a restaurant and then the coast was clear. She pulled her shopping list out of her pocket and hit the shops.  
  
Lunch was almost over for the three guys when Dive saw a reflection of Red in the window. She would walk right past them. Having being told about the 'midnight fun' last night, he decided to try and get some answers. He pointed her out to the others and suggested a plan. They got up and left hurriedly.  
  
*Shopping is not fun. * Decided Red as she lugged her heavy bags down the crowded walks. As always, she was aware of all the people around her but she had not taken notice of which direction she was walking - all she wanted was an exit. She looked up at a direction board and groaned inwardly as she realized that she was going to walk past the restaurant where the guys were. Figuring that they wouldn't make a scene in public, she lifted her head and started forward, only to see them leaving. They appeared not to have seen her and she offered up a thankful sigh. Trailing slowly, she made it out of the mall and then started off in the direction of her car. Going round the corner of the main building, she was pulled up short by a hand on her arm and a voice in her ear.  
  
"Going somewhere?" asked Dive as he reached out and caught hold her. He didn't get a chance to hear an answer as he suddenly took flight and landed heavily on the ground. He looked up to see a familiar gun pointed in his direction.  
  
As soon as she felt the hand, Red dropped her bags and grabbed hold of Dive's arm and flung him from her. Pulling both guns from under her coat, she covered him and the other two. Duke had pulled his saber as soon as she had reacted and they were now at a standoff.  
  
She studied them as they watched her and then Dive piped up:  
  
"Gee, it was just a question."  
  
She stepped back and with a pointed wave of the gun, indicated that he should stand up and join his friends. He did so and then she lowered the guns and Duke stepped forward, deactivating his saber.  
  
"I've told you before Sweetheart, watch how you treat my friends."  
  
"Then watch how you treat me." She snapped. "And don't call me that."  
  
"What were you doing in the Pond last night?" asked Dive, hoping to catch her off guard.  
  
"Wasn't in the Pond." She said airily.  
  
"We saw you." Said Grin.  
  
"Wasn't me." She insisted. "You guys must have rats or something."  
  
"We have you on camera." Said Duke.  
  
"Ohhh." She said slowly, her alight with mischief. "That's the ghost."  
  
"Ghost?" scoffed Dive.  
  
"Yeah." She said brightly. "It shapes after other people."  
  
"It was you." Insisted Duke.  
  
"Did it leave fingerprints?" she asked sweetly.  
  
Duke was brought up short and he glared at her as he snapped out:  
  
"No."  
  
"Then it's the ghost come back. Don't worry it's pretty harmless, just watch out for your stuff disappearing every now and again."  
  
"There is no supernatural forces in that Pond." Said Grin. "My aura is clear."  
  
"Maybe big guy, but it's pretty sneaky."  
  
"And you would know this how?" asked Dive.  
  
"I've been in and around the Pond since I was a kid. There's nothing about that place that I don't know."  
  
*I wouldn't bet on that. * Smirked Duke to himself.  
  
"Now if you three Gestapo agents have finished the interrogation, I'll be on my way."  
  
She bent down to pick up her bags and saw that some of the stuff had come out when she dropped them. Dive bent down to give her a hand but she waved him away.  
  
"Nope. I got it."  
  
She stuffed the last item back into its bag and turned her back on them, fully intending to walk to her car when a thought struck her. She half turned back to them and asked:  
  
"Who's bright idea was it to lurk around the corner anyway?"  
  
Before Dive could say anything, Duke jumped in.  
  
"Mine. Got a problem with that?"  
  
She turned to look him full in the eye and answered in a silky tone:  
  
"Professional tip: only amateurs wait round corners."  
  
With that, she turned around and walked calmly away, leaving a fuming Duke behind.  
  
"Amateur." He snapped. "I haven't been an amateur for years."  
  
"Calm down my friend and your aura will clear." Said Grin.  
  
"Yeah man," agreed Dive. "Chill."  
  
"She called me an amateur." Snapped Duke.  
  
"Well, not in so many words, but yeah."  
  
Duke looked like he was ready to chase after her and have an all out fight but Grin stopped that by saying:  
  
"We should start back to the Pond. Wildwing will not be pleased if we are late."  
  
"Yeah man." Said Dive. "You know how he is about punctuality."  
  
"Okay." Said Duke grudgingly. "But this doesn't end here."  
  
They set off back to the Pond and in her car; Red collapsed with helpless laughter.  
  
*************************  
  
As they were dressing for practice, Duke related the afternoon's happenings to the rest of the team. Wing wasn't too thrilled that Dive had gotten thrown but after being reassured that no harm had been done, he cracked a smile.  
  
"What're you smilin' 'bout?" said Duke, still sulking.  
  
"At least we know one thing from this conversation." Said Wing.  
  
"What's that?" asked Tanya.  
  
"She was in the Pond last night, otherwise she wouldn't have heard what Duke said about her being an amateur."  
  
"She probably didn't like it much either." Said Mal.  
  
"But if she doesn't like being called an amateur, what is she a professional at?" asked Tanya.  
  
"Beats me." Said Dive with a shrug. "But she doesn't shop like any girl I've seen."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Wing, as he headed out to the ice.  
  
"She had all this stationary and office supplies. Pens, books and so on."  
  
"Sounds like she's gonna set up shop." Said Tanya.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Mal. "But for what and where?"  
  
Since no one could answer that, they ignored the question and started their practice. Wing drove them hard and they were soon completely engrossed in their drills. Above them, a pair of gray eyes watched.  
  
After having a good laugh at the joke of the ghost, Red drove home to unpack the shopping and to get the stuff for her revenge. The jab about amateurs was just a bonus that Duke had handed to her. She dressed in her 'work clothes' and set out to the Pond.  
  
Again she parked a block away and ran to the Pond. Scaling the fence she chuckled to herself * Déjà vu * She made sure that the cameras were pointing in a different direction and sprinted across the lot to the fire escape. Climbing that, she swung ever the railing and grabbed hold of the framework that supported the rooftop water reservoir. She clambered up and was soon standing on the roof. She looked around for the inspection hatch and crouched down next to it. Upon close examination, she could see that there was another alarm attached to it, other than the one she had known about. She bypassed it, impressed by it and then she was inside the Pond, on the steel framework above the ice.  
  
Looking down, she could see the ducks involved in their practice and she settled down to watch. The practice ran so long, that when they went off the ice and she stood up, she was stiff. Attaching a rope to the girder, she let herself down onto the ice and carefully started to cross.  
  
* Careful, you don't wanna fall on your butt. *  
  
She cautioned herself as she skidded on a slick spot. She made it without incident and stood at the bathroom door and listened. She could hear the guys in one side and the two women in the other. She grinned and quietly opened the door and slipped inside. She waited just inside the door, as she could hear that one of them was not under the water yet.  
  
"Hey Wing?" called Duke as he rammed his kit down the chute.  
  
"Yeah?" answered Wing from his stall.  
  
"We all gonna go see Phil tonight?'  
  
"Yeah. I thought that he could use the cheering up."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
He stepped into his stall and slid the door shut. The water was hot and he relaxed in the heat, tuning out everything around him.  
  
"Hey Grin?" called Wing.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You catch that really cool swing from Tanya today?"  
  
Red crept along the wall, looking for her objective. She was thankful that the showers were equipped with doors so she could locate her target without seeing or being seen. And the inane conversation masked any sound that she might make. Pausing outside of Duke's stall, she looked around for his equipment. Spying it on a bench, she grabbed it and stuffed it into the bag that she had brought. Then she grabbed his clothes and looked round for his practice clothes. They were nowhere to be seen and she came to the conclusion that he had put them down the laundry chute. Satisfied that she had all of his gear, she carefully lifted his towel off the hook and then slid open the stall door a fraction. She crouched on the other side of the stall for a moment, making sure that he hadn't noticed. When she saw him reach for the shampoo that was on the top of the stall, she knew that she was safe.  
  
Duke lathered up his hair and muttered as some of the suds run down his face. He wiped them away and continued massaging his head. He didn't see the slender metal stylus that was sticking through a gap in the door. Nor did he see the claw at the end of it not even when it stole his soap and retracted.  
  
"Ah man." He sighed softly. "This feels so good."  
  
Red battled to keep her laughter inside as she heard Duke's exclamation of pleasure. She slid the door shut and crept away. Slipping out of the bathroom, she slung the bag over her back and went over to the main doors. She paused at the lighting panel, another evil thought coming to mind.  
  
"Everybody out." She muttered to herself as she yanked the main fire alarm. 


	15. More mystery

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks are property of Disney and I use them without permission. (There! Can I go now?)  
  
A/N: Still going! Just a Thank You to those readers who still take the time to review. This fic still has a lot to offer guys, so keep the faith huh?  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Wing jerked his head up as an unfamiliar alarm sounded through the building. He hurriedly turned off the water and grabbed his towel and wrapped it around himself. He stepped out the stall and looked at Grin and Dive who were also wearing towel skirts. Duke hadn't come out yet.  
  
"Anybody know what that is?" he shouted over the noise.  
  
"Nope!" exclaimed Dive.  
  
"What's going on?" demanded Mal as she and Tanya poked their heads in.  
  
"Dunno." Said Dive, going over to his clothes.  
  
"Isn't it a Drake 1 alarm?" asked Wing.  
  
"As if!" exclaimed Tanya. "I'd never install something so annoying."  
  
"It's the fire alarm." Said Grin. "I heard one at the Nail once."  
  
"Then we'd better get out of here." Said Wing. "Dress quickly and let's go."  
  
They scattered to their respective piles of stuff and then Duke piped up from the showers:  
  
"Jokes over guys."  
  
"Huh?" said Wing.  
  
"Better get a move on man." Said Dive. "Unless you want to become duck ala crispy."  
  
"So gimme my towel and I'll do that."  
  
"I don't have your towel."  
  
"C'mon kid." Said Duke impatiently. "Jokes over - gimme my stuff back."  
  
"Yeah Dive." Said Wing. "Now's not the time for a joke."  
  
"But I don't have his stuff!" insisted Dive.  
  
"Then where is my towel?" said Duke. "And my soap, what's going on here?"  
  
"No time Duke." Said Wing. "We're all guys here."  
  
"Okay." Said Duke grudgingly.  
  
He stepped out of the stall and went to the bench where he left his stuff. Nada. Frowning, he looked all around and then turned to face the others.  
  
"Guys, my stuff's gone."  
  
"Wasn't me!" exclaimed Dive, hopping around on one foot as he yanked on a shoe.  
  
"Gone, without a trace." He repeated.  
  
"We don't have time to look." Said Wing. "Use Grin's towel and lets bail."  
  
Duke accepted the large towel and grimaced at the dampness. He wrapped it around himself and followed the others to the door. They met the girls at the main doors.  
  
"Any idea what's going on?" Wing asked Tanya.  
  
"Nope." Said Tanya, consulting her Omni tool. "Drake 1 doesn't show any fire in the building at all."  
  
She went over to the control panel and started examining the alarm.  
  
"What happened to you?" asked Mal, looking at Duke.  
  
"My stuff's been taken." He snapped. "Are you playing jokes?"  
  
"No." she snapped. "Why would I want to take your stuff."  
  
A sudden silence filled the air as Tanya managed to switch off the alarm. She turned to the others and said:  
  
"Looks like someone's playing jokes on all of us. This was done manually, like a test run."  
  
"But who would've done that?" asked Mal. "The maintenance crew have already been this week."  
  
"Maybe they want to keep us on our toes." Said Wing.  
  
"News flash," Sniggered Dive. "We don't have toes."  
  
"Maybe the ghost paid you a visit." Said Grin.  
  
Duke looked at him for a moment and then understanding dawned on him and he groaned.  
  
"Ugh. This is payback."  
  
"Payback?" asked a confused team.  
  
"Yeah. This is Red's work."  
  
He reminded them of the conversation that they had with her and that she had said that the 'ghost' sometimes makes things go missing. He correctly assumed that she was behind the matter of the disappearing clothes. He was about to suggest that they go down to the base so he could put some clothes on when they were interrupted by a fire engine screeching to a halt in the parking lot. Fire fighters piled out and rushed up to them.  
  
"Is everyone alright and accounted for?" asked the man in charge, visibly struggling not to stare at Duke.  
  
"Yes, we're fine." Answered Wing.  
  
"I'm going to have to ask you to wait at the engine while we sweep the building." He told them, his eyes refusing to stop looking Duke's way.  
  
"That's not necessary." Said Wing.  
  
"It's my job sir." The man insisted.  
  
"Sorry Duke," Wing apologized. "But he's right."  
  
"Yeah yeah." He muttered, stomping out of the doors and into the lot with the others trailing behind.  
  
He was grumbling to himself when he realized that he was getting some funny looks from the fire crew. He ignored them as best he could.  
  
* Beautiful. * He thought to himself. * All I need now is a reporter. *  
  
He leaned against the truck and took refuge behind Grin. The sky was still overcast and the wind was chilly as it blew around them, wreaking havoc with Duke's towel. He snatched it closer to himself and frowned. He was opening his mouth to talk to Wing when one of the firemen caught his eye. He was pointing something out to his friend. Duke turned to have a better look and almost couldn't believe his eye.  
  
There, at the base of the flagpole was all his gear and up the pole itself were all his clothes. His silk boxers were forming the pennant at the very top and they were blowing merrily in the breeze for the entire world to see.  
  
He rolled his eyes and sighed. Then he grinned as wide as he could. Wildwing saw the grin and asked:  
  
"Now what's so funny?"  
  
Duke pointed at the flagpole and Wing burst out laughing. The others heard the noise and came to see what was going on. Dive found it funny that Duke was grinning and asked as much.  
  
"In case you didn't know," he said. "Those are your clothes hanging up there."  
  
"Yeah kid, I know."  
  
"So why are you grinning?"  
  
"Reminds me of something that we did to the guy that ran the Brotherhood before me. 'Cept we pushed him out inta the snow, without a towel."  
  
They stood for a moment and looked at Red's handiwork and then Mal asked:  
  
"But how did she get in?"  
  
"I don't know." Answered Wing. "I know that the doors were locked."  
  
"Any chance that she came in the back?" asked Dive.  
  
"Nope." Said Tanya. "I had that door welded shut when we started with the building renovations."  
  
"We'll figure it out when we get back inside." Said Wing. "But right now, lets go and get Duke's stuff."  
  
Dive and Mal started to pick up the equipment that she had arranged at the base of the pole while Wing untied the rope. He lowered the clothes and Grin unpinned them and handed them to Tanya who folded them into a neat pile. At the end of the rope, along with the shorts was a small envelope addressed to Duke. He put it on top of the pile and handed it over. Tanya took it to Duke who was waiting by the engine. He accepted the clothes and used the cabin of the truck as a quick dressing room. He emerged fully dressed and holding the envelope.  
  
"What's it say?" asked Dive who was being eaten alive by curiosity.  
  
"Dunno. Haven't read it yet."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Don't worry kid." He smirked. "I'll read it when we get back inside."  
  
"Hope that's going to be soon." Said Mal looking up at the sky. "It's gonna open up any minute now."  
  
Just then the chief came up to them. He was frowning.  
  
"It's clear. But you should tell your friend that playing with the fire alarm is not a joke."  
  
"We'll make sure that she knows." Said Wing comfortingly.  
  
He nodded and then rounded up his crew and they left. The team watched them go and then trooped back inside to figure out what had just happened. They were just in time. As the door closed behind them, the heavens opened up with a massive crash of thunder.  
  
"Talk about timin'." Said Duke.  
  
"Yeah. One shower was enough today." Agreed Dive.  
  
"Speaking of showers." Said Mal slyly. "I wonder what she saw in yours."  
  
Wing, Dive, Duke and Grin looked at each other with panic crawling through their eyes. Then Wing sighed and said:  
  
"We had the doors shut so she couldn't have seen anything."  
  
"Speak for yourself." Giggled Dive. "The Dukester had his soap taken from inside the stall."  
  
Duke didn't grace that with an answer but a red blush did spread itself across his cheeks. * What did she see? * He wondered to himself.  
  
They were going past the ice when Tanya spotted the rope hanging from the girders.  
  
"Hey guys," she said, stopping. "I think that's how she got in."  
  
They went out onto the ice to have a closer look and sure enough, it was the rope she had slid down. There was a card on this one. It had picture of a ghost on the front and inside she had written:  
  
"Boo!"  
  
Wing smiled and then said:  
  
"We'll catch up with her later about this. I think that we should just stick to the plan of going to see Phil."  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Mal. "I don't know about you guys but I've still got some stuff to do before we go."  
  
"We don't have to be there until six." Said Duke suddenly.  
  
"Huh?" asked Dive.  
  
Duke held up the note that he had taken from the envelope. It read:  
  
'Hi there. Thought I'd pay you a professional visit. Heard that you're planning to see Phil later. Come at six, I've pulled a few strings and arranged a communal visit.'  
  
"Oh." Said Wing, slightly thrown. "I guess we'll go at six then."  
  
They filed down to the base, with the exception of Duke. He wanted to examine the roof where she got in. Once up there, he saw that she had put the hatch back in place and turned the alarm back on. There was no doubt - she was a professional. He wondered where she had learned and why.  
  
Down in the main control room, Wing was also wondering the same thing. A person with secrets, talents and attitudes like Red meant only one thing - trouble with a capital T.  
  
Elsewhere in the Pond, other minds were wondering.  
  
Grin sat serenely on his meditation mat, giving off the full impression that he was securely in whatever plane he chose to exist in. But he wasn't. Grin hadn't properly meditated for the last week although it wasn't for lack of trying.  
  
* I have to get this out of my system. * He thought to himself. * But how? *  
  
He shifted position on the mat and then gave it up as a bad job. He stood up, stretched and then went in search of the one duck that could help - Mallory.  
  
*********************  
  
Mal was putting her shower stuff away when there was a gentle tapping on her door.  
  
"Yeah, come in." she called. She heard the door open and was surprised to see Grin standing there, looking sheepish.  
  
"Grin," she asked. "You okay?"  
  
"My inner tranquillity is being disturbed." He confessed.  
  
"Was it something I did?"  
  
"No. It isn't something, rather someone."  
  
Mal smiled. She had seen this coming for a while now and was only too happy to hear that her matchmaking work was going to be easier than she thought.  
  
"It's Tanya isn't it?" she asked gently.  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Only to me." She reassured him. "Can I tell you something that might help?"  
  
"I'm open to all suggestions." "I think that she feels the same way, but she's afraid of getting the brush off."  
  
"Am I that unapproachable?" he asked dejectedly.  
  
"No. But I think she's afraid of getting hurt."  
  
"I would never hurt her." He huffed.  
  
"I know." Said Mal soothingly. "And I already have a plan in place, wanna hear?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Mal proceeded to tell him about the arrangements that she had made for Tanya. In fact, with Grin on board, the whole thing would go a lot smoother. She and Grin plotted in her room until five to six when they realized that they wold have to get moving. They raced to the hanger where the others were already waiting.  
  
"Where have you guys been?" asked Wing.  
  
"Just chatting." Said Mal innocently.  
  
Wing gave her a funny look and then got into the Migrator. The others followed and in the process, Mal caught the look that Tanya shot at Grin's back. It was obvious that she liked him and was now under the impression that Grin wanted Mal. She couldn't wait for tomorrow. All she had to do now was arrange it with Wing.  
  
*****************************  
  
Dive saw Red's car in the parking lot when they pulled up to the station. Wing parked the monstrous Migrator as close to the building as possible and they made a mad dash through the rain. He wondered if her car was fitted out like the two cars that were parked next to hers. They were low profile, custom chopped and full of racing stickers. He knew from seeing them around that they were street racers. He made a mental note to try and find out.  
  
They saw Red standing at the entrance to the holding cells, tapping her foot impatiently.  
  
"Decided to show huh?" she asked.  
  
Wing swallowed the irritation that rose up with her tone of voice and answered tightly:  
  
"Of course. This is for Phil's benefit."  
  
Red looked at him for a moment and then suddenly smiled, disarming Wing completely.  
  
"Sorry. I'm used to working alone. Truce?"  
  
"Truce." Answered Wing with a smile of his own.  
  
They walked past her on their way to the cells. She waited till Duke was coming past her and then held out a new bar of soap. He cocked an eyebrow at her and then took it.  
  
"What happened to the other one?"  
  
"It fell in the sand and got all gritty." She confessed. "I figured the least I could do would be to get you a new one."  
  
"Thanks." He said with a grin. "I mean, I'm all for exfoliation, but not that much."  
  
She nodded at him and then walked away. He tucked the soap into his pocket and followed her. Tanya, who had seen the exchange was confused and caught up to him and asked:  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Sort'a an apology." He said.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
They arrived in the interview room, where there were extra chairs for them. They settled down while the wardens brought Phil to them. He arrived in that hideous orange jumpsuit and Red wasted no time in telling him exactly what she thought of it.  
  
"Man Phil." She exclaimed. "That color just doesn't suit you."  
  
"Oh yeah?" snapped he snapped. "It didn't look so hot on you either."  
  
Wing caught the meaning of that one but he didn't get a chance to ask.  
  
"Thanks Phil." Said Red acidly. "Give them some more to chew on."  
  
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking." He confessed.  
  
"Yeah well. Lets get this thing going huh?"  
  
Phil turned to Wing and asked about the upcoming games. He was upset to hear that they had been postponed, but grateful that at least Magnus thought that there had been a mistake.  
  
"At least that means we can count on him being on our side when this goes to trial." He said.  
  
"Will it go to trial?" asked Mal.  
  
"Yeah. They can't find a trace that I actually have the money so well go to a trial where they have to prove that I took it."  
  
"Which you didn't, so you'll get off." Said Dive. "Easy."  
  
Red gave an inelegant snort and Dive asked:  
  
"What's your problem?"  
  
"Like I said before, God spare me from the innocents."  
  
Phil sighed and said:  
  
"You know something don't you?"  
  
Red nodded and then sat back in her chair. She fiddled with the end of her ponytail and then sighed.  
  
"I have a really good idea of who's behind this." She said. "And how they did it."  
  
"I say it was the accountant with the calculator in the bathroom." Said Dive, mimicking a cluedo game.  
  
Red chuckled and then said:  
  
"Nah, she's too obvious."  
  
"Then who?" asked Tanya.  
  
"I can't say yet. If it got out that I'm looking into the matter, they'd bury themselves. But it won't be an open and shut case, there's too much that they can mess around with."  
  
"Then what are you going to do?" asked Wing.  
  
"I know how they did it and I can work backwards from that. I'll find them."  
  
"How do you know how they did it?" asked Duke.  
  
"Trade secret." She smirked.  
  
"Oh come on." He scoffed.  
  
"It's how I did it." She said baldly.  
  
Duke's eyebrows hit the roof and so did Wings.  
  
"You mean to tell us that you've done this kind of thing before?" asked Wing.  
  
Red just smiled at him and then said:  
  
"This is one of those things that we don't talk about."  
  
Wing regarded her carefully and then said:  
  
"One day, we WILL have to have a talk."  
  
"One day." She agreed. "But today is not that day."  
  
A loud sigh from Phil's side of the table dragged their attention back to him.  
  
"You're not going to do anything dangerous are you?" he asked her.  
  
"Depends on your definition of dangerous." She grinned.  
  
"Red." Scolded Phil. "Not again."  
  
Red's expression suddenly turned deadly serious.  
  
"Yes Phil." She said quietly. "Again. And again if I have to. I'm not going to fail this time. Not with you."  
  
Wing could see the feverish look in her eyes and he wondered if she was going to get into trouble despite Phil's warnings. Her attitude was almost desperate, fanatical even. Gut instinct told him that she was capable of a lot more than they had seen.  
  
Phil looked at her with love written all over his face.  
  
"What would I do without you?" he asked tenderly.  
  
"Go to jail." She laughed harshly.  
  
Wing cleared his throat, making her turn her attention back to him.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Tell me two things, honestly."  
  
"Shoot." She said.  
  
"How DO you know whose behind this?"  
  
"It's a thief and you know the old saying about thieves." She said.  
  
"Actually, we don't." he said, confused.  
  
"There's an old saying that goes: Set a thief to catch a thief." She said, smirking at Duke.  
  
"Are you a thief?"  
  
"Is that your second question?"  
  
"Are you going to do anything illegal?"  
  
"If I said yes, what would you do about it?" she demanded in an aggressive tone.  
  
"That depends on what it was."  
  
"Then I guess I'll just have to make sure that you don't catch me." She said simply.  
  
"I won't have you jeopardizing Phil's chances of getting out of this." He warned.  
  
Red leaned across the table and glared at Wing.  
  
"Won't have me jeopardizing his chances?" she snapped. "Honey, I'm the only chance he's got."  
  
The two glared at each other across the table, neither one wanting to back down. Grin eventually spoke:  
  
"What of the truce that you made?"  
  
Wing blinked at that thought and then slowly stood upright.  
  
"You're right. I'm just so worried about this whole mess."  
  
Red sat back in her chair again and looked at him. She looked at Phil and then back at the team.  
  
"Look," she said. "I understand that Phil means a lot to you guys, but he means a lot to me too. And If I thought that I'd screw this up, I'd be outta here at the first moment. But you gotta believe me, I am the ONLY chance we've got of getting him out of this. If we leave it to the courts, they'll bury him."  
  
"How can you be so sure?" asked Mal.  
  
"I." Red trailed off and then she closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she saw that they were still waiting for an answer.  
  
"I'm going to have to ask you to trust me." She said.  
  
"But you don't trust us." Said Dive, with the logic of the young.  
  
She graced him with a small smile and he grinned back without thinking.  
  
"I don't have to trust you guys. There's nothing that you have to do with me. In fact, it's better if you don't have any contact with me."  
  
"But." began Wing.  
  
"Believe me." She warned. "Klegghorn will make your lives even more difficult if he figures that you're working with me."  
  
Wing saw the logic of that and he grudgingly conceded that point.  
  
"How will we know if you're coming right?" he asked at last.  
  
"I'll keep you posted through Willy."  
  
"When will you have any news?" asked Mal.  
  
"Gimme a week and I'll see where I am."  
  
"What do we do in the mean time?" asked Tanya. "We can't just sit idly by."  
  
"I don't know." Said Red with a shrug. "Go clubbing?"  
  
Tanya looked at her with narrow eyes and then gave it up.  
  
Red turned to Phil and said:  
  
"I'm gonna bounce, leave you lot to catch up. I gotta get to work."  
  
"But the accountants seized the files." He said. "They're being held at their offices."  
  
"So?" asked Red brightly.  
  
Phil threw up his hands and said:  
  
"I give up. Go and get caught, we'll share a cell."  
  
"Oh ye of little faith."  
  
She stood up to leave and then Phil caught hold of her hand. She turned back to him.  
  
"Be careful Red."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Phil exploded with anger, forgetting that the team was in the room.  
  
"You're still trying to get yourself killed aren't you?" he shouted. "It won't help! You can't bring him back. Killing yourself won't kill the pain."  
  
Red stared at him and then a sinister smile spread across her face.  
  
"What makes you think that I want to stop the pain? The pain is why I get up in the morning, it's the only thing I have to live for."  
  
Phil looked at her and tears formed in his eyes.  
  
"You haven't it let go yet?"  
  
"Never." She whispered.  
  
She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. They could hear her sharp footsteps echoing into the distance. Then Duke turned to Phil.  
  
"Okay, what the hell was that all about?"  
  
Phil swiped at the moisture in his eyes and looked at Duke.  
  
"Like she said, this is one of those things that we don't talk about."  
  
"But it sounds like she's got a death wish."  
  
"I can't tell you." Insisted Phil. "I would be breaking a promise to her and she holds promises very close to heart."  
  
"Then what do we do Phil?" asked Wing. "What do we do about her?"  
  
"I wish I could ask you to look out for her." He said quietly. "But she wont even let me do that."  
  
"Look out for her how Phil?" asked Tanya. "You heard her, she's gonna do what ever it is whether you want her to or not."  
  
"Yes. But she's not going to eat or sleep while she's trying to fix this. It's going to burn and consume her until she's got it right."  
  
"Her loyalty to you is obvious, but at the cost of her own safety?" asked Grin.  
  
"She's afraid that she'll fail me, like she thinks she failed." Phil trailed off into silence and Wing knew that this was again, one of the things that they didn't talk about.  
  
They sat in silence for a while and then Phil stood up.  
  
"Look boobies, I'm glad you came but I'm really done in and I'm going to say good bye for the moment."  
  
"Sure." Said Wing. "We'll be in touch."  
  
The rest of the team greeted Phil and then they filed out of the room. Dive looked through the window and saw that Red's car was still in the lot. He returned to his original musings about the racers. His train of thought was answered when they came into the foyer and saw her deep in conversation with the owners of the cars.  
  
"No Reggie." She snapped. "I won't be back on the street."  
  
"But why?" asked the man that she addressed as Reggie. "I mean, you were so good."  
  
"Yeah and you of all people should know that it's easy money." Added the second guy.  
  
"That easy money comes at a price," she said in a tortured voice. "One that I paid for. And it was too damn high."  
  
"So, never again?" asked Reggie.  
  
"No Reg," she said sadly. "Never again."  
  
"Too bad chica." Said the second guy. "You were one of the best."  
  
She smiled a sad smile at them and walked them to the door, ignoring the ducks as she passed them. Mal could see her expression as she watched the two cars speed away and she was intrigued by the look of longing on her face. Dive had see then look as well and as she turned to face them, he asked:  
  
"You do that?"  
  
"Used to." She said quietly.  
  
"Why don't you any more?"  
  
Red was feeling a little fragile and wasn't thinking when she answered:  
  
"I won't allow myself to."  
  
"Isn't that like a punishment?" he asked. "I mean, it's obvious you still want to."  
  
"It is a punishment." She confessed.  
  
"Punishment for what?"  
  
"Killing my brother." She said simply and then walked out the door into the rain, leaving six stunned ducks behind. 


	16. Plots

Disclaimer: Go away! Not mine!  
  
A/N:  
  
Chapter 16  
  
The team watched in silence as Red walked out of the building and towards her car. Wing's mind was reeling with unasked questions, like:  
  
* What did she mean by that? Did she really kill her own brother? Is she dangerous? Am I going to endanger the team by letting her roam free? *  
  
Instead he said nothing, just watched her get into her car and drive away. He turned to see the rest of the team looking just as confused. Dive looked up at him and asked:  
  
"You don't think she meant that did you?"  
  
"I don't know Dive, maybe."  
  
"But," He stammered. " Her own brother!"  
  
"We don't know all the circumstances." Wing cautioned. "Let's not jump to any conclusions."  
  
"But shouldn't we at least be on our guard?" exclaimed Mal.  
  
"I agree there Mal." Said Wing, "But lets do it quietly, we don't need to attract any attention to ourselves."  
  
"Bro," said Dive, shaking his head. "We're alien ducks from another planet, we can't help but to attract attention."  
  
"I mean Klegghorn's attention." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Tanya. "We don't want him breathing down our necks any more than what he already is."  
  
Dive pulled a face and then looked up at the sky.  
  
"Looks like we get wet again, this isn't going to stop any time soon."  
  
"I'll bring the Migrator round." Said Wing, dashing off towards the vehicle.  
  
*******************************  
  
As she drove home, Red was talking to herself the whole way there.  
  
"Stupid!" she shouted out loud. "You're so stupid."  
  
She slid the car round a corner and then carried on berating herself.  
  
"You can't keep your mouth shut can you? Now they're going to be suspicious of you."  
  
She thought for a moment on that and then snorted.  
  
"Maybe that's a good thing, they'll keep their distance from you and won't try to make friends. That's right! Keep everyone at arms length and you'll be safer and so will they, at least you won't get the chance to screw up their lives."  
  
She arrived at her destination and slammed on the brakes, making a broadside turn into her space. Looking into the rearview to see if she had been followed, she caught a glimpse of her eyes and looked away fast. She didn't like to see the demon if she didn't have to. Stepping out the car, she locked it and started inside.  
  
"They'll be much safer off without me around" she tried to convince herself. "Oh jeez, I'm talking to myself."  
  
*****************************  
  
When they got back to the Pond, Wing pulled Duke aside.  
  
"I want to talk to you." He said softly. "Later."  
  
Duke nodded and then carried on to his room. He had a good idea of what Wing wanted to talk about. He pulled the new bar of soap out of his pocket and turned it over in his hands, thinking. He hadn't been this intrigued by anyone for a long time and he was looking forward to finding out more. He put the soap away and went to the kitchen to see how dinner plans were progressing. When he got there, Mal was talking to Wing and she jumped as he came in.  
  
"Oh Duke," she said in a relieved tone. "It's only you."  
  
"Only me?" he asked in mock hurt. "That hurts Sweetheart."  
  
"Right." She scoffed.  
  
She grinned at him as she left the room. Duke watched her go, absently wondering what had made her jump and then turned his attention to a more important matter - food. He saw that Tanya had already started the dinner and was getting a jar from the cupboard. She struggled to get the lid off and he was about to ask if he could help when Grin got there first. He came up behind her and plucked the jar from her hands. Twisting off the lid, he handed it back to her.  
  
"Gee, thanks." She stammered, looking up at him.  
  
He gave her a smile and then left the room, before she could see the blush spreading over his cheeks. He feverently hoped that Mal's plan would work. Tanya gave his back a funny look and then shook her head. She wasn't about to get her hopes up for nothing. She just wished that she had the courage to find out how he felt.  
  
* Face it * she told herself. * It isn't like you guys have a lot in common. *  
  
The team trailed into the kitchen and eventually they were all seated at the table and ready to eat. Conversation was at an all time low during the meal, each duck involved in their own thoughts.  
  
Grin was thinking of Tanya, and secretly looking at her from time to time. Mal was watching Grin watching Tanya and thinking how cute the two of them were going to look. Wing was thinking about the new defenses that he had been designing with Tanya and how they were going to implement them without disrupting the whole Pond. Duke wasn't really thinking about anything, just how well basil and tomato go together with cheese. Dive was thinking the most seriously of the group. As a person that idolized his brother, he couldn't quite grasp how anyone could seriously wish harm to their sibling. He knew that he didn't have all the facts, but he convinced that Red was deadly serious when she said that she had killed her brother. He was worried, would she bring trouble to Wing?  
  
He was startled out of his musings by Wing's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You okay little brother?" asked a concerned Wing. He had seen that Dive wasn't eating, just staring into space.  
  
"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine, just thinking about all the free time I have."  
  
Wing looked at Dive, he knew that his answer wasn't the real truth, but he figured that he'd let it go. Dive would tell him if there was a problem. He knew that his brother would always come to him if he needed him. He always did and there was no reason that he would stop now. Besides, Wing had a good idea of what was on his mind and knew that nothing he could say would make Dive stop thinking about Red's offhand comment.  
  
He forced a grin and said:  
  
"Probably just get into more trouble with practical jokes."  
  
"Now there's an idea."  
  
"Just remember," said Mal, pointing a fork in his direction. "I've just as much free time and maybe I'll spend it plotting my revenge."  
  
"Hmmm," said Duke, "Battle of the jokers. Sounds interestin'."  
  
They passed the rest of the meal in a lighter mood and since it had been Tanya's turn to cook, it was Duke's turn to wash. He finished the dreaded chore quickly and then went in search of Wing. It wasn't a long search since Wing was where he usually was - in the ready room, watching the monitors.  
  
"Hey boss." Said Duke as he came though the door. "Seen anything interesting lately?"  
  
"Nah. Things have been real quiet, a little too quiet." Said Wing pensively.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm sure 'ol lizard lips is plugging away at something."  
  
"And we'll stop him." Said Wing firmly.  
  
"But that's not what you wanted to talk to me about was it?" asked Duke astutely.  
  
"No." said Wing with a sigh. He sat back in his chair and rubbed at his face. The movements betrayed him to Duke, who knew that these were signs that he was tired and worried. He waited patiently, knowing that Wing would talk on his time. He didn't wait long.  
  
"I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing here." He confessed.  
  
"About?"  
  
"Leaving Red to her own devices without one of us around to keep an eye on her. Phil sounded like he was really worried about her being alone."  
  
"She's a strange one alright." Nodded Duke. "I don't get her."  
  
"Neither do I, and I'm glad that I'm not the only one."  
  
"So what now?"  
  
Wing looked up at the ceiling and then back at Duke.  
  
"I want you to do whatever it takes to find her and keep an eye on her."  
  
Duke raised a brow and asked:  
  
"You sure 'bout that? She made it pretty clear to stay away."  
  
"And that's why I know you'd be looking for her with or without my permission."  
  
Duke smiled sheepishly and sat in the chair opposite to Wing.  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Not really, but I know you. You couldn't leave this alone even if I paid you."  
  
Duke cleared his throat and thought on how to express his thoughts. His unusual life had gifted him with instincts regarding people. He knew that there was more to this matter than just a personal privacy issue.  
  
"You're right." He nodded. "I think that there's something under the surface, something that we haven't seen yet. She doesn't want anyone to get close and holds herself tightly controlled."  
  
"A little too tight I think." Said Wing quietly.  
  
"You're right." Duke agreed. "She's tightly wound and one day she's gonna snap."  
  
"What then?"  
  
"I dunno. Depends on what's stormin' around in her head."  
  
"Storming?"  
  
"Oh yeah. There's somethin' ragin' under that face that she shows us and I bet that she'd practically die before she told us what it is."  
  
Wing thought about what he had been told and then smiled.  
  
"Y'know, for someone who said he doesn't get her, you seem to know an awful lot."  
  
Duke blushed faintly and said:  
  
"I know people. I dunno the circumstances, but I can make educated guesses."  
  
"Then take your guesses to the street and find her. Even if you don't let us know what you find, just find her."  
  
"Sure thing. I even know where to start."  
  
"Where?"  
  
Duke gave him a wry smile and said:  
  
"Like you said, I'd rather keep this to myself. If one of us can gain her trust, it might make dealing with her a bit easier."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Duke gave a curt nod and left, his mind already on the job at hand. He knew where she would be. Maybe not tonight, but definitely soon.  
  
****************************  
  
At Peabody and Sons auditing firm, Len, the security guard was as bored as he could be. He'd been there for two years and he'd seen no danger, no action, no nothing! Tonight was no different or so he thought. Poor Len would never know that someone had bypassed the silent alarm and crept in through a back window. He'd never know that someone had used the copier machine to make over a hundred copies and then put everything back as they found it. As far as Len was concerned, this was just another ordinary night.  
  
Red slung the bag containing the copies of Phil's entire file system onto the back seat and blew out her breath. She wiped the rain from her face and consulted a piece of paper for an address. Starting the car, she drove carefully, not wanting to attract attention, to her next destination - the lawyers. When she arrived, she proceeded to do a rerun of the job she had just done on the auditors - make copies of Phil's case file and erase all signs that she had been there. Leaving the same way she had come in, though a ground floor bathroom window, she drove away into the night, with no one the wiser about her midnight raids.  
  
Or so she thought.  
  
Duke had been waiting at the auditors since his conversation with Wing. He knew from her remarks at their meeting, she'd be here sooner or later. He was sitting under an overhang, out of the rain when he had spotted her fiddling with the window of a ground floor office. He had used binoculars to make sure that it was her and then while she was inside, he went to look for her car. True to form, for a pro, it was parked almost two blocks away from the target. Reaching underneath, he attached a radio tracker and then retraced his steps. He was in time to see her coming out, with a bag slung across her body. It looked heavy. Using the rooftops, he followed her to the car and watched impassively as she drove away. He pulled the receiver out of his pouch and watched the blip that represented her. After a bit she stopped again and he knew from the address that she must be making another professional visit. He sat and got comfortable, knowing that she would go home sooner or later. He could wait.  
  
************************************  
  
In the corner of a downtown warehouse, Red was leaning against the wall. She had rented the upstairs loft the day before she had arrived. It was large, open and had windows all around. At the moment, she was deciding how to arrange her workspace. There were two desks, a filing draw and all her stationary to arrange. Ignoring the rumble of her stomach, she set about pushing the two desks together and set the draw on the corner. Wheeling the chair into place, she took a seat and got a feel for the workspace.  
  
* It'll work. * She decided.  
  
Unpacking the bags of stuff that she had bought, she then picked up the bag of copies that she had made and dumped them out with no regard to order. She wanted to set up her own system and the best way to start was to jump in with both feet.  
  
* It's gonna be a long night. * She thought with a sigh. She picked up a pile of papers and set to work.  
  
Outside, Duke pulled his duckcycle up to the curb and looked up at the lighted windows. He had tracked her car to this address and he figured since those were the only lights on in the area, that was where she was. He decided that he would give her time to settle for the night and then take a look around when he knew she wasn't home. Giving one last look up, he pulled away and headed home. Red heard the whine of a motorcycle engine and frowned. She wondered if Jack and his cronies could have found her so soon. But she doubted that. The owner of the place owed her big and knew better than to turn her in. The whine faded and she put it off as a joyrider. Turning her attention back to the job at hand, she ignored the burning in her eyes and the emptiness in her belly. There were more important things to do then eat or sleep.  
  
******************************  
  
Duke closed the Pond's garage door and switched off the light. He was headed back to his room when he saw that the light in the ready room was still on. He figured that since it was the early hours of the morning, there was only one person that could be in there - Wing.  
  
He was right.  
  
Wing had been unable to sleep and had gone to check on the monitors. He knew that Dragonus was plotting something and he wanted to be ready. There was no way that he was letting that lizard win, not here. He had become fond of this planet and was not about to let Draggy screw it up like he did theirs. These people were innocents and he intended for them to stay that way. He sighed and rubbed his face. Instinct told him that there was trouble heading their way and he wasn't about to let the team down by being caught with their proverbial pants down. He was about to turn off the monitors when he nearly leapt out of his skin as he was tapped on the shoulder. Stifling a cry of surprise, he turned to see a soggy Duke grinning at him.  
  
"You scared me!" he gasped.  
  
"Sorry." Said Duke unrepentantly.  
  
"What're you doing up?" he asked, puzzled. "And why are you wet?"  
  
"Haven't been down yet."  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
Duke looked at him with one eyebrow raised and Wing remembered their earlier conversation.  
  
"Oh. You have any luck?"  
  
"Always." He said smugly.  
  
"That was easier than I thought."  
  
"I thought so, but I think that she was so wrapped up in her conversation with Phil, she didn't realize that she had given me a lead."  
  
"And that was?"  
  
"She mentioned that she'd be at the auditors sooner or later. I just staked the place out."  
  
"Good thinking. So now what?"  
  
"I know where she is. Like you asked, I'm gonna keep an eye on her."  
  
"Just don't get caught, I'd hate to think what she'd do to you then."  
  
"Yeah, right!" scoffed Duke.  
  
Wing stretched and then said:  
  
"I'm going back to bed. I want to run two practices tomorrow."  
  
"Sure. Think I'll head that way myself."  
  
The two left the ready room and went to bed.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city:  
  
"I want those miserable mallards gone!"  
  
Dragonus was seething and pacing around the raptor's control room. He was really feeling the sting of failure since the ducks had thwarted his latest plan with the Amebac.  
  
"Didn't even get a chance to put the whole thing into motion before those wretched ducks stopped me." He mumbled aloud.  
  
Just then, Chameleon came skidding round the corner. He scrambled to stay on his feet, failed and slid to an inelegant stop before Dragonus. He looked up at his master and grinned.  
  
"Guess what I found out Boss." He crowed in self-delight.  
  
"What?" snapped the angry lizard. "I have no patience for games." Chameleon pulled himself his feet and morphed into a shadowy figure complete with trench coat.  
  
"I was scannin' the police radios and I hear that the manager of the ducks is coolin' his heels in the slammer for embezzlin' a lotta cash." He sneered.  
  
Dragonus digested this news for a moment and then a sinister smile spread across his face.  
  
"This is indeed interesting news. Now, go get the others so we can put my new plan into motion."  
  
Chameleon snapped off a salute and slithered out the room, while Dragonus paced around, plotting.  
  
"Oh yes." He crowed aloud. "When I've finished with this, the Ducks won't know what hit them."  
  
He waited impatiently for Chameleon to return with the others. When they arrived, they were all glad to see that he was in a better mood. He had been impossible these last two days, after losing again.  
  
"You called?" asked Wraith in his sonorous tone.  
  
"Yes, I want to fill you in on the brilliant idea I just had."  
  
"Is it going to work this time, Oh Clever One?" asked Wraith spitefully. He was not fond of the ducks at all but he was well aware that it was Dragonus's plans that usually got them on the wrong end of a puck launcher.  
  
"Oh shut up and listen!" snapped Dragonus.  
  
He filled them in on the plan and Wraith was pleased to hear that, for once, he was not in the line of fire. He and Siege would be waiting on the sidelines, while the chameleon did the work.  
  
"Just don't screw up this time." said Dragonus as they turned to leave.  
  
"Please," scoffed Chameleon. "It's a camera, how hard can it be?"  
  
"You know," said Wraith, "there's an interesting saying in this dimension."  
  
"What's that?" asked Dragonus.  
  
"A picture is worth a thousand words."  
  
"And to me, a picture is worth six ducks." Dragonus sniggered.  
  
He sniggering escalated into a hideous laughter, which echoed around the room. 


	17. Transformation

Disclaimer: If you don't know by now!  
  
A/N: I always that that I wouldn't tamper with the original characters, but I needed to do this. I hope you'll forgive me.  
  
Chapter 17  
  
It was dark and warm and she couldn't breathe. She thrashed around, trying to see through the water and find her way back to the surface. There was no light or sound and she was sure that she was about to die.  
  
Tanya opened her eyes and realized that she was not trapped underwater, just wrapped in her bedding. She struggled to put her thoughts into order and then became aware of a steady knocking on the door.  
  
"Come in." she called, trying in vain to unwrap herself. She lay back and watched as Mallory came through the door, holding a tray.  
  
"Morning." She said brightly.  
  
"What's got you so chipper?" asked Tanya sourly, the unpleasantness of the dream still clinging to her.  
  
"Didn't sleep well huh?" asked Mal.  
  
"No." Sighed Tanya. " Kept having lousy dreams."  
  
Mal set the tray on the nightstand and looked at her friend carefully. She didn't want to insult her but then again, Mal wasn't one for tact.  
  
"You look like hell." She said bluntly.  
  
"Gee, thanks." Said Tanya with an acid tone.  
  
Mal smiled and sat on the side of the bed. She looked at Tanya who was still firmly wrapped in the sheets and said:  
  
"You know what I mean. Now, honestly, girl to girl - you're not really happy at the moment are you?"  
  
"No." she admitted in a small voice. "I'm stuck in a rut and I can't seem to climb out."  
  
"That's what I'm here for girlfriend!" exclaimed Mal. "You know I'm always here for you."  
  
"I didn't want to bother you with my petty problems when there is so much at stake with Phil and Draggy."  
  
"Stuff and nonsense." Snorted Mal. "You're important too and I'm not the only one who thinks so."  
  
The whole time that they had been talking, Tanya had been fighting a losing battle with the sheets. She stopped for a moment as Mal's words sank in. her eyes widened and she stared at Mal.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Mal was about to answer her when there was another knock on the door. Wing's voice came though.  
  
"Tanya, can I come in?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Wing came in and carefully winked at Mal. Then he turned to Tanya who had started wriggling again.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to hide a grin.  
  
"Yeah. If you're wondering about the new defense system, I'll be in the lab to show you the CGI model as soon as I can get out."  
  
"Actually, the lab is what I wanted to talk to you about." He said in a guilty tone.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked warily, not actually wanting to hear the answer.  
  
"Dive went to get some supplies and took the service elevator. He spilled a container of sauce in the lab."  
  
Tanya rolled her eyes at the imagined mess. She could see that she would be stuck cleaning for the whole day. Hopefully, it wasn't a sticky but with Dive, you never knew.  
  
"What kind of sauce?"  
  
Wing grimaced and said softly: "Strawberry."  
  
She groaned out loud and rolled further into the sheets. She was badly allergic to strawberries. Now, not only would she have to clean the lab, but she would have to do it from inside a bio-hazard suit.  
  
"Don't worry. I've got Dive on it right now. He's not coming out until the whole place is spotless and sanitized."  
  
"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" asked Mal. "Dive alone in the lab?"  
  
"No. I got Duke to supervise and you know him and cleaning."  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Mal. "That place will shine when they're done."  
  
"I've got to go." Wing said to Tanya. " Are you going to be okay?"  
  
"Yeah." She muttered from somewhere under her pillow. "Just peachy."  
  
Wing grinned at Mal and then left to go and clean up the 'mess'.  
  
Tanya poked her head out and looked at Mal who was still sitting on the side of the bed.  
  
"Why are you here again?"  
  
"I wanted to tell you about the disaster but he beat me to it. I came with the consolation prize." She gestured towards the tray.  
  
"Breakfast?"  
  
"Yeah. Since you've basically got the whole day off, I thought a little breakfast in bed would be a nice change."  
  
Mal moved closer and felt around for the end of the sheet. She found it under Tanya's back. Giving a strong pull, she managed to untangle the bedding enough for Tanya to sit up and finish the job herself. Mal handed the tray to her and she took one look at the contents and burst into tears.  
  
"Tanya!" exclaimed Mal. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, everything." She sobbed out.  
  
Mal moved the tray back to the nightstand sat next to Tanya on the bed. She rubbed her back and murmured soothing nonsense as Tanya vented her frustrations and unhappiness. Soon her sobs quieted and she wiped at her face.  
  
"Sorry." She said softly to Mal. "Didn't mean to do that. You caught me off guard."  
  
"That was the idea." Admitted Mal. "I've noticed that you're not too happy and I wanted to help."  
  
"Really?" asked Tanya with a watery smile.  
  
"Sure." She answered smoothly. "Now you eat that while I grab some of your stuff."  
  
Tanya picked up the tray, started on the toast and then stopped as her brain caught up with her ears.  
  
"What stuff?" she called to Mal who was digging in her closet. "What's going on?"  
  
"I planned a little amusement for us today and you'll need some clothes." She answered, her voice muffled. She emerged in triumph, holding up a box.  
  
"Aha!" she exclaimed. "Just as I thought, never been worn."  
  
Tanya blushed at being caught out and turned her full attention to the toast. Mal grinned and put the box in a bag and then started rummaging amongst the hanging clothes. She carefully folded them into the bag and put it close to the door. Then she turned back to Tanya who was finishing her tea.  
  
"All done?"  
  
"Uh huh." She answered, putting the tray on the table.  
  
"Lets go then." Said Mal impatiently.  
  
"I haven't showered or changed yet!" She exclaimed. "I'm not going anywhere!"  
  
"You don't need to change and I've got your toothbrush. Now come on!"  
  
She flipped back the covers and yanked Tanya out of bed. Keeping a firm grip on her with one hand, she snatched up the bag with the other and opened the door. After making sure that the coast was clear, she dragged a protesting Tanya along the corridor in the direction of the garage. To Tanya's horror, Wing was waiting there with Phil's car. He opened the door and Mal pushed her into the back seat, climbing in behind her. The whole time, Wing kept his eyes elsewhere, a fact for which Tanya was eternally grateful. He closed the door and then got behind the wheel.  
  
Turning to her grinning friend, Tanya demanded:  
  
"What's going on? I feel like I've just been kidnapped."  
  
"You have!" smirked Mal. "I told you, I planned a bit of amusement for today and I didn't want to give you the chance to back out."  
  
"So you parade me around in my pajamas for all to see?"  
  
"The only one who was around to see was Wing." Scoffed Mal. "And he didn't look."  
  
Tanya didn't have an answer for that one so she stared out the window. She had noticed that it wasn't even eight o'clock yet and the city was already bustling. Secretly, she was excited at the change of routine but she didn't want to admit that straight away. She only wished that it hadn't come at the cost of her lab.  
  
"We're here."  
  
Wing's voice bumped her out of her musings and she took a closer look at where they were. It was on the quieter side of the city and there was an air of sedateness and class. Definitely a place where Mal would be comfortable. So why was SHE there?  
  
Wing opened the door and Mal dragged her out, despite her trying to resist.  
  
"Thanks Wing." Said Mal as she hustled Tanya towards the doors. "I'll call when we're done."  
  
"Take your time. And Tanya?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"The labs fine. We made up the whole story of the syrup to get you out of there."  
  
"But."  
  
The rest of her words were lost as Mal dragged her through the double glass doors and out of sight. Wing chuckled and shook his head. Once Mal had a good intentioned thought in her head, nothing would stop her. One thing was for sure, whether it worked or not - Tanya would never be the same.  
  
Inside the building, Tanya was in awe. The interior was tastefully decorated with marble in a range of pastel shades and there were comfortable chairs sitting around low tables. Potted plants gave splashes of nature while in one corner, an indoor water feature bubbled away. Overhead windows let in lots of light while the public view was blocked out by darkened glass. All in all it gave off a light, airy feel and Tanya immediately felt refreshed. Three young women were coming up to them, all identically dressed in tunics of pastel peach. Tanya figured that they must work there and her thoughts were confirmed when Mal handed over the bag and said:  
  
"Hi guys. This is the stuff and this is Tanya."  
  
She looked at them as Mal introduced them to her.  
  
"Tanya, this is Leslie, Michelle and Gabby."  
  
"Hi." she said nervously.  
  
"And that little man coming over is Pablo."  
  
Tanya looked over to where Mal had pointed and saw a short little Latin man rushing up to them. He practically crackled with energy and he pumped Mal's hand energetically.  
  
"I'm so happy to see you again. This must be Tanya."  
  
He took her hand and lightly brushed his lips across the back. She giggled nervously and he picked it up.  
  
"Now now." He admonished gently. "Don't be shy, we're going to take good care of you. Ladies!"  
  
The three assistants came up as he called. Michelle and Gabby handed Mal and Tanya each a luxurious fluffy bathrobe and soft slippers. Pablo put his arm around Mal's shoulders and took Tanya's hand since he couldn't reach her shoulders. He led them through a doorway into the back of the building, into a set of dimly lit rooms with soft padded benches along the wall.  
  
"Okay ladies," said Pablo enthusiastically. "Strip!"  
  
************************************  
  
Wing was in the city library, reading a book on astrology. After he had dropped the girls, he had picked up Dive and Grin and taken them to the mall. He had made arrangements to meet them for lunch later. Finding himself with nothing to do, he had strolled into the library and looked through the books. Being a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of subjects on offer, he had picked out a volume at random and sat down in a quiet corner to read. He was enjoying himself so much, that he didn't see the small, sharp-faced woman that was peeping round the corner at him. He also didn't see her take a few photos of him before slipping out the building.  
  
Dive and Grin were completely lost. They had hit the men's stores in hope of finding something a little more formal than Grin's usual while training clothes but so far all they had managed to find were Phil's type of stuff and they knew what that looked like. Dive was scratching his head when a young assistant came up to them.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"I dunno, can you?"  
  
The young man looked a little stumped for a moment and then caught onto the joke. He chuckled and then asked:  
  
"Now who are we looking to clothe and for what occasion?"  
  
"My man the Grinster here is going out to dinner tonight. And I'm sure they won't let him in the door with his, um, pajamas."  
  
"Then he'll need a formal shirt and trousers. A suit would be nice but a little too formal."  
  
Dive gestured grandly with his hand and said:  
  
"Lead the way."  
  
The sales assistant led them around the racks, picking and discarding clothes as he saw them. They were so engrossed that they didn't see a teenage boy following them around with a camera. After taking some shots the boy vanished round a corner and morphed into Chameleon. He pocketed the camera and teleported back to the Raptor.  
  
Dragonus was waiting impatiently for him to arrive and swung round as the glow announced the Chameleons arrival.  
  
"Well?" he snapped. "Have you got anything yet?"  
  
"Yeah, but only of three. I have to find the rest later."  
  
"Just hand over that camera and take a new one. I'd rather not have you bumbling up with the photos that you already have."  
  
Chameleon handed the camera over with a hurt expression that Dragonus pointedly ignored. He bellowed for Wraith.  
  
"You called?" asked the ancient saurian as he glided into the room.  
  
"Take this film and start developing the photos. I want this plan put into action as soon as possible."  
  
"As you wish." Wraith took the camera and glided out, muttering under his breath about how he was a sorcerer, not a lab assistant.  
  
Back in the city, Red was entering the dry cleaners. She went up to the counter and seeing no one around, rang the bell. An old lady came from the back of the store, her nametag read: Franny.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"I hope so." She answered with false cheer. "I'm in a bit of a pickle."  
  
"What's the problem?" asked Franny kindly.  
  
"My uncle has lost his suit. He knows that he dropped it in here and he doesn't remember picking it up. Can you check for me?"  
  
"Do you have the slip?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Red fumbled around in her pocket and then handed over a scrap of paper. Franny looked at it and then said:  
  
"I'll just go back and check for you."  
  
"Thank you so much!" gushed Red.  
  
She watched the woman walk away and she thought to herself: * Sucker. *  
  
Franny came back a few moments later with an invoice in her hand.  
  
"It seems that your uncle picked up the suit. See, he paid for it."  
  
She held out the invoice and Red peered at it. Then she looked up at Franny and asked:  
  
"I don't suppose that I could have a copy of that, so I can prove to him that he's collected it."  
  
"Sure." She went into the back office and emerged a moment later with a copy of the paper. Red took it and stuffed it into her pocket.  
  
"Thanks so much!"  
  
"It's a pleasure. You let me know if I can help with anything else."  
  
"I will, bye."  
  
Red left the shop and went round the corner. She pulled her backpack off of her back and pulled out a list. Ticking off the dry cleaners, she looked at the next item.  
  
"Photo and Film." She muttered softly to herself. "This is going to be a real drag."  
  
She put the bag back on and hailed a cab.  
  
Meanwhile,  
  
Duke had seen Red leave the building with a bag and he assumed that she would be gone for a while. At least long enough for him to get in and take a look around. He scaled up the fire escape and tried to open the window, but it wouldn't budge. Taking a closer look, he could see that she had jammed it from the inside. He smirked and pulled a tool from his pouch. Effective for an ordinary thief, but he wasn't the norm and he had it open in a matter of moments.  
  
He found himself in a large open loft with no furniture except two large desks, a set of draws and a sofa. He ventured further into the space and found a curtained off area. Drawing back the curtain, he found a shower and a rail with a few clothes hanging on it. The room was austere, empty and cold.  
  
* A lot like those eyes of hers. * He mused to himself, remembering how they had first met.  
  
He wandered over to the desk and started looking through the papers, careful not to let them move out of place. He looked through the draws and spotted a photo frame wedged in the back of the bottom draw. He was reaching for it when he was hit by a hot flash of guilt. He pulled his hand back as if he had been burned and looked at the open draw, wondering what the hell he was doing.  
  
He closed the draw and left the same way that he came, jamming the window as she had done. He reached the street and took off on the duck cycle down the street, not sure where he was going. He was unnerved by his reaction and at the same time, glad that he had not violated her privacy any more than he had done. He stopped at a red light and saw that he was only a block away from his favorite park. He decided to go there and have a good think.  
  
Back at Pablo's place:  
  
Tanya was in heaven, or the closest that she would get on this plane of existence. Surrounded by a soft candle light and a pleasant scent, she was lying on her tummy while the skillful hands of Gabby massaged away all the tension that had been building up over the last while. She hit a particularly tender spot and Tanya groaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure as the soreness slowly dissolved.  
  
"This is an old injury." Stated Gabby.  
  
"Yeah. How did you know?"  
  
"It's her job to know." Said Mal from the table next to her. "Gabby's great with old sports injuries."  
  
"Mmmm." Agreed Tanya.  
  
They lay in silence for the next half-hour as they were systematically reduced to a boneless heap of relaxed muscles. On the couch in the corner, Pablo consulted his watch and stood up.  
  
"Okay ladies, time to rinse." Mal and Tanya languidly got up from the tables and accepted their robes back. They trailed after Pablo who led them to the basins along a far wall where they sat so that Michelle could rinse their hair.  
  
"I'm so glad that you thought of this." Said Tanya.  
  
"I'm glad that you're enjoying it."  
  
Tanya thought back over the events of the morning and smiled to herself. She had protested quite violently to stripping off with Pablo around until Mal had told her that he was gay. He had laughed and confirmed what Mal had said. When they were dressed in the robes, they were taken to the basins where they had examined her hair. Pablo found that it stood up because the hair was tightly curled at the roots. He ordered Michelle to put on a chemical to relax it. It had smelled terrible and she had expressed her doubts.  
  
"Don't' worry." Said Mal. "I've been coming here for months and he's the best. He won't do any damage."  
  
So they had smeared and scrubbed and creamed their way to where they were now. They had done facials and body wraps and scrubs and massage. Now there were on the home stretch. Tanya was brought back to the present by Michelle wrapping a towel around her hair. She got up and followed her back to the mirror where Pablo was waiting, with the scissors. He turned her away from the mirror and unwrapped her hair. Tanya could feel it slide down to past her shoulders. Pablo picked up a lock and tutted.  
  
"This is in such bad shape, I'm going to have to trim a lot off."  
  
"Well," said Tanya, taking her courage in her hands. "I leave it completely in your hands."  
  
Pablo smiled and then set to work.  
  
An hour and a half later, she and Mal were standing in the same spot where they started and she was so nervous. Pablo saw that and picked up her hand and said:  
  
"Remember, I only bring out what was already there. You are beautiful and I am so glad that you let me do this for you."  
  
"I should be thanking you." She said. "You did a wonderful job."  
  
Mal was talking to Wing on her communicator.  
  
"Yeah. We're done. Okay, see you in a few."  
  
She turned back to the pair and beamed.  
  
"Wing's on his way. We're still in time for lunch and then we can do some shopping."  
  
Tanya cringed inwardly. Lunch and shopping meant that people would be able to look at her. She took a deep breath and thought about Pablo's words while Mal settled the bill. She was nearly calm when Wing pulled up outside. Suddenly, she was nervous again. Mal caught her eye and smiled reassuringly, Tanya grinned back with a slight tremor to her smile.  
  
Mal went out and held the door for Tanya, who couldn't seem to make her feet move.  
  
"Come on, he's waiting."  
  
Tanya savagely squashed her fears and made up her mind to make the most of the gift that her friend had given her. It was time that she concentrated on her for a change. She gave Pablo a stunning smile and stepped though the door into the sunlight, never looking back.  
  
Wing was standing outside the car, waiting to open the door. He saw Mal come out and then hold the door open. She seemed to be speaking to someone inside and then Tanya came out.  
  
He was right - she wasn't the same. 


	18. Dinner?

Disclaimer: Sod off! D'ya really think they'd be off the air if I owned 'em?  
  
A/N: Hello? Anyone out there? Or have I annoyed you guys enough to stop reading? Please read and review!  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Wing watched as Tanya approached the car. Mal had to clear her throat several times to catch his attention.  
  
"Uh, yeah?"  
  
"She's terrified. Don't make her any more nervous please."  
  
"Sure."  
  
The girls got into the car and Mal instructed him to take them to the mall where they would have lunch.  
  
"We're also getting lunch at the mall, why don't we all eat together?' he asked  
  
"Nope." Said Mal before Tanya could say anything. "This is strictly a girls day."  
  
"Sure."  
  
He dropped them off and then went to collect the rest of the gang.  
  
The girls grabbed a small booth at a relatively quiet restaurant and perused the menu. Tanya kept fidgeting with the straps of her bra. Mal noticed and lightly smacked her hand away as she was reaching inside her blouse.  
  
"Stop it. You look fine."  
  
"I feel like I'm getting ready to fall out of this thing!" hissed Tanya.  
  
"You'll get used to it. The set does fit, I checked when I bought it for Christmas."  
  
"I still don't know why, it's not like any one's gonna see the underwear or anything."  
  
Mal shook her head and chuckled.  
  
"I can see that I have a lot to teach you. The first thing that you should know about nice underwear is that you don't wear it for anyone but yourself." She fell silent as the waiter came over and asked:  
  
"And what's your pleasure today ladies?"  
  
Tanya waved at Mal and said:  
  
"Ask her, she's in charge today."  
  
Mal grinned and placed their orders. Then she grabbed her bag and stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"The same place you are." She said. "We're going to the bathroom."  
  
"But I don't need the bathroom."  
  
"No, but I do." Smirked Mal.  
  
Tanya gave up and followed Mal to the restrooms that were tucked away in a corner. She waited by the basins while Mal used a stall. Turning around, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and stared for a moment.  
  
Her hair was longer than her shoulders and had been feathered along the edges. It was as straight as an arrow with light bangs framing her face. She was relieved that she was not carrying the weight around on top of her head anymore.  
  
Her feathers glowed in the soft lighting and she had to admit that she looked good. The padded jumpsuit that she normally wore was gone, replaced by a pair of black pants and a lavender top. She was smaller than Mal had even thought, the padded suit covering up a lot.  
  
* Maybe too much. * She thought to herself.  
  
She turned as the flushing of the toilet announced that Mal was finished. She came over and washed her hands. She figured that Tanya had used the opportunity to take a look at her self and she hoped that she was pleased by what she had seen.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"It's a little different." She said hesitantly. "But I think that I'd could get used to this."  
  
Mal grinned.  
  
"That's what I was hoping to hear. C'mon, let's get lunch and plan the shopping."  
  
They headed back to their table, talking non-stop.  
  
**********  
  
It was late and the girls were tired after a marathon shopping spree. They sat on a bench outside the mall, surrounded by a veritable mountain of bags and boxes. They were waiting for Wing to come and pick them up. Tanya leaned back and pushed her new sunglasses back up to cover her eyes.  
  
"That was the most fun I've had in ages."  
  
Mal smirked and said: "I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. But it isn't over."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Tanya looked at her sharply, causing the glasses to slide down her beak. She peered over the top of them at Mal who was pretending to be casual.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That would be telling."  
  
"That is the idea." She said wryly. "Now what are you talking about?"  
  
"That's for me to know and for you to experience later."  
  
Tanya was about to pounce on her friend when Wing arrived in the car. He pulled up alongside them and got out.  
  
"Gee Mal," he whistled. "You leave anything in the stores?"  
  
"Very funny Wing." She said. "Actually, you'll be surprised to know that the bulk of this lot is hers."  
  
She jerked a thumb at Tanya, who was putting bags in the trunk.  
  
"You're kidding." Said an astounded Wing.  
  
"Nope." She grinned. "In fact all I bought was this."  
  
She held up a small bag emblazoned with the name of a popular woman's underwear shop. Wing lifted a brow and then helped Tanya load the rest of the plunder. They got in and Wing started back to the Pond.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
"Little friend, I do not know about this." Said Grin rather plaintively.  
  
"You look fine Grinmeister, just stop fiddling with it." Said Dive as he swatted Grin's hand away from the lapels of the semi formal jacket that he was wearing.  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Duke. "Ya look smooth."  
  
Grin shrugged his massive shoulders and then sighed as Dive began to pat out the fine creases that had formed.  
  
"Where are the girls?" asked Grin in a desperate tone.  
  
"Wing went ta get 'em at the mall. You can spring it on her when she comes through the door." Said Duke with a sly smile.  
  
Little did the trio know what was going to be sprung on them.  
  
While the mighty ducks were involved with their love lives, or distinct lack there of, Red was busy breaking into yet another building.  
  
The auditors had made a list of invoices that they said Phil had tampered with. She had copied the list and was tracking down the originals. She had managed to track down most of the little ones but there were two main suppliers that she knew were just going to be a pain in the rear. She decided to get back to the loft and plan her route into the two big buildings. She stuffed the newest copies into her bag and swung back into the air-vent, pulling the grill back into place as she went.  
  
Wing pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. He opened Tanya's door while Mal bounded out the other side. Together they unpacked the trunk and toted the bags to Tanya's room.  
  
"I'll see you later." Said Mal as she placed the last bag on the floor. "I have some stuff to do."  
  
"Sure." Said Tanya with a yawn. "Thanks a whole lot for this."  
  
"You deserve it."  
  
Mal left and winked at Grin who was trying to appear casual at the top of the hallway. He was trying to get up the nerve to go and knock on Tanya's door. Dive came up behind him.  
  
"Cold feet?"  
  
"I am gathering my inner peace and tranquillity." Replied Grin huffily.  
  
"Well lets gather it while we walk down the hall." Laughed Dive as he grabbed Grin's elbow and steered him towards Tanya's door.  
  
They stood looking at it for a moment and then Dive pounded on it and took off back the way he came, leaving a stricken Grin staring after him.  
  
Tanya had flung herself across the bed and had given up trying to keep her eyes open when there was a pounding at the door. She figured that it was Dive, only he could knock like that so she called out:  
  
"It's open."  
  
She heard the door open and close and then footsteps moved closer to the bed. But it didn't sound like Dive, actually, it sounded more like:  
  
"Grin!"  
  
She quickly rolled off the bed and stood up, looking at a new kind of Grin. He was doing the same thing.  
  
"Uh, is there something that I can do for you?" she stammered.  
  
Grin was too stunned to realize that he was staring. Thoughts ran wild in his head:  
  
* She's so small, why didn't I notice? I like her hair like that. She's stunning, why would she want me. *  
  
He mentally shook himself and looked into her blue eyes. There was hope there.  
  
"I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner tonight?"  
  
Tanya could not have been more surprised if he had hit her over the head with a baseball bat. (Not that he ever would.) She had to answer twice before he heard her.  
  
"Sure. What time?"  
  
"Is eight good for you?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I'll see you then."  
  
He nodded to her and left the room, leaving a completely poleaxed Tanya. Mal, who had seen him go in was waiting for him to leave and when he did, she dashed into Tanya's room to hear the delicious news.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
At about ten to eight the male members of the team were waiting in the common room while Mal helped Tanya get finished for her date. Grin was decidedly nervous and Duke was enjoying ribbing him about it.  
  
"Stop telling him horror stories about your dates." Said Wing with a grin, as Duke finished up another tale about a date that had gone awry.  
  
"Sorry man." Said Duke. "Things ain't gonna work out like that for you."  
  
"Your confidence is a strengthening thought." Replied Grin placidly, trying to conceal the tremor in his hands. He heard the voices of the girls in the hall and took a deep breath. He turned to face the door as it slid open.  
  
Although he had seen Tanya before, even he wasn't prepared for what was waiting for him. She wore a slinky black cocktail dress and matching shoes. Her hair had been left to slide around her shoulders. It was simple, plain and perfect. She was just as stunned. Grin was still neatly dressed in the tailored clothing that she had seen earlier. It was a new side of the duck that she knew and she liked it.  
  
Grin had reigned in his nerves and held out an elbow.  
  
"Shall we go?"  
  
Tanya stepped closer and linked her arm through his and asked:  
  
"And how are we getting there?"  
  
"I'm still on chauffeur duty." Said Wing, jingling the car keys.  
  
The trio left while Mal had the satisfaction of seeing the usually imperturbable Duke rendered speechless. Dive was suffering from the same malady.  
  
"What's the matter boys?" she asked slyly. "Cat got your tongue?"  
  
She sauntered off towards the kitchen and the two guys pounded after her, demanding to know what had happened and how. She filled them in while they pottered around making dinner. It seemed that salad and lasagna was on the menu tonight and it was Duke's job to chop while Dive washed lettuce. Mal was in charge of the pasta dish. They had just set it on the table when Wing arrived back. While they ate, he filled them in on where the two had gone for dinner.  
  
"They really do fit together." He said to Mal.  
  
"I know." She said smugly.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Tanya sat down on the chair that Grin had pulled out for her. She delicately spread her napkin over her lap and looked up at Grin as he sat in the chair opposite her. She couldn't read his unfathomable expression, but that was nothing strange. He smiled at her and then turned his head as the waiter came to them with a bottle of wine.  
  
"As you arranged sir," he said. "The red wine."  
  
The waiter poured a small amount for Grin to taste. He did so and nodded his approval. The waiter then poured a glass for Tanya and then Grin. He placed the bottle on the table and left as unobtrusively as he had come. Grin looked at Tanya and lifted his glass.  
  
"I propose a toast."  
  
"Uh, okay." She said carefully, not too sure of what was to be toasted.  
  
"To friendship that has been forged in the worst of circumstances."  
  
Tanya's heart sank when she heard the F word. Friends. Then she caught on to the second part and her spirits lifted.  
  
"And to deeper feelings that have hopefully grown from that friendship."  
  
Tanya smiled warmly at him and drank. She felt no need to spill her feelings straight away, they had the whole night ahead of them - there was time.  
  
Back at the Pond:  
  
Dive was busy clearing away the remnants of the meal and Duke was supposed to be helping. Supposed to be was the operative word. He was just holding a dish of lasagna and staring off into space.  
  
"Earth to Duke, come in Duke." Said Dive waving a hand in front of his friend's face.  
  
"Huh?" said a startled Duke. "Oh, sorry kid. I was just thinkin' 'bout somethin Phil said."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That the kid won't eat while she's busy. Wonder if she ate tonight?"  
  
"Why are you worried about that?" asked Dive, puzzled. "She's proven that she can take care of herself."  
  
"Yeah, 'spose your right." Sighed Duke as he put the dish in the refrigerator.  
  
They clean up job was done in short order and the two went to the common room to have a round of TV games. Duke was still distracted and Dive could notice.  
  
"You're not even trying to defend yourself." He complained as he managed to kill Duke's character for the fifth consecutive time.  
  
"Sorry kid." He said, putting the controller down. "Guess I gotta lot on my mind. Can I take a rain-check on this?"  
  
"Sure." Said Dive with a grin. "I'll get some practice in for when you're ready to play again."  
  
"Night Kid." Said Duke as he walked to the door.  
  
"Night Duke." Said Dive.  
  
Duke was almost out the door when he hear Dive add:  
  
"No snacking on the leftovers at midnight without me."  
  
The door slid shut behind him and Duke stood still for a moment and then set off in the direction of the kitchen with a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
At Red's Place:  
  
Red had managed to make impressive headway on the verification of the invoices and it was as she had suspected. After eliminating the common creditors, the only suspect left was the sports equipment company. The company building itself was a bit of a nightmare to get into, as they were somewhat paranoid about security.  
  
"I wonder why?" sniggered Red out loud.  
  
She thought about the last time she had broken into that building and realized that her old plans weren't going to be much good any more. She had to get new floor plans and fast. There was still a heap of work to do.  
  
She looked at her watch and was stunned to see that it was almost two days later than when she had last looked. Rubbing her eyes, she thought about catching forty winks on the sofa. Then she dismissed the idea from her mind, forty winks wouldn't make up for two days. Besides:  
  
"Phil's too important for you to be sleeping on the job." She admonished herself.  
  
She immersed herself in the paperwork again and the clock kept ticking.  
  
Duke pulled up outside the warehouse and wondered if he had taken leave of his senses. Red had made it quite clear how she felt about her privacy and what she did to people who invaded it. Then he shrugged and unloaded the luggage carrier. He let himself into the lobby and found the bell that rang up in the loft. He leaned on it and waited for the resultant explosion.  
  
Red was trying to add up a column when she realized that there was the most annoying sound ringing in her ears. Trying to get her numbed brain to function, it took her almost a minute to identify it as the bell downstairs. She stood up and went to the ledge that overlooked the entrance hall. It was that grey duck and he was carrying something. This looked like bad news.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
Duke followed the sharp tone and saw her looking down at him. He grinned, hoping that it would tone down the annoyed look on her face. It didn't.  
  
"I thought that I'd bring ya somethin to eat."  
  
He held out the covered dish like a peace offering. She looked at him as if he had grown two heads and asked:  
  
"Why? Don't you think that I can take care of myself?"  
  
"Phil warned us that ya forget to eat when ya busy."  
  
Red muttered something about Phil being too smart for his own good and then said:  
  
"I'm fine, go trot back to Phil and tell him you did your duty."  
  
"Not until I know that you've eaten."  
  
"Well I have!" she snapped.  
  
"Prove it." He challenged, grinning at her.  
  
She disappeared and then a few moments later, the trash can came sailing over the railing and landed at his feet, spilling it's contents on the floor. By looks of things, she had been surviving on two six packs of soda and a jumbo Snickers bar.  
  
"Real food!" he exclaimed.  
  
There was no answer so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Tucking the dish into the bag, he activated the grappling hook on his sabre and made his way up the wall and over the ledge. He spotted her immediately, standing behind the desk, pointing her gun at him.  
  
After tossing the trashcan, Red had shoved Duke out of her mind and sat back down at the desk. The papers immediately captured her total attention and she failed to hear his shout. It was only when he swung over the ledge that she realized that she wasn't alone. Acting on instinct, she pulled her gun while pushing back from the desk.  
  
They looked at each other for a few moments and then Duke spoke:  
  
"I didn't think that Mal's lasagna was so bad." 


	19. The plot thickens

Disclaimer:  
  
A/N: Just a resounding THANK YOU for all of you who are still following this, you're attention means a WHOLE lot to me.  
  
Chapter 19  
  
The same morning that Tanya was in bliss, Phil was lying on the hard little prison bunk, trying to keep covered by the impossibly small blanket that they had given him. It kept sliding off one way or the other. Eventually he gave up and threw the offending thing to the floor. He was just getting comfortable when the guard came rapping on the bars.  
  
"Up Phil, you have a visitor."  
  
Phil sat up with a grunt and tried to remember if he had asked any one to come and see him. He put his hands through the bars so that he could be cuffed and then the guard led him to the visiting glass. His lawyer was sitting waiting. He didn't look like he had good news.  
  
"Hello Phil."  
  
"Hi Alan."  
  
"I still don't understand why you wanted me to do this."  
  
"I have some information coming in." said Phil. "But the source needs time to get it together."  
  
"You do know that if the information is obtained illegally, we can't use it as evidence."  
  
"Trust me, this is coming from a very reliable source."  
  
"I hope so." Said Alan, shaking his head. He opened his briefcase and pulled out a sheaf of papers. Handing them through the slot to the guard. The guard made sure that there was nothing concealed in between them and then handed them to Phil. He read them carefully and then signed on the appropriate places. The guarded handed them back to Alan.  
  
"There you are then. The case will be postponed for three more days." He said as he put them away.  
  
"Thank you Alan."  
  
"I just hope you know what you're doing. I have to go and submit these. I'll be in touch."  
  
With that abrupt reply, Alan stood up and left. Phil sighed and stood up to go back to his cell. The guard turned to him and said:  
  
"I just got off the phone, you're a popular guy today."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"There's someone else to see you. You might as well sit back down while they sign him in."  
  
While Phil waited, he tried to figure out who it could be. It wasn't Red since the guard had said 'him' so that left Magnus or one on the ducks. But it was neither. Phil watched his new visitor come up to the glass and sit down. He couldn't decide how he felt at the moment so he decided to say nothing.  
  
"Hi Phil." Said Willy.  
  
**************  
  
Willy had been putting off visiting Phil until the last possible moment. He knew that Phil would be angry that Willy had let him mourn Red when she was perfectly fine. There were questions to be answered and apologies to be made and he wasn't looking forward to either. When he arrived at the prison, it was starting to drizzle and he wondered at the strange coincidences of the universe - wherever Red was, it would rain.  
  
He saw Phil sitting behind the glass as he walked up and he knew that this was going to be harder than what he had predicted. He sat down and said:  
  
"Hi Phil."  
  
**************  
  
Phil gave him a flat and unfriendly look and said nothing. There was nothing to say until Willy told him the truth. Looking at a point over Willy's head, he sat and waited.  
  
Willy sighed and said:  
  
"I suppose that you're waiting for an explanation be fore you'll talk to me. I guess that's the least I can do. I know you're angry, I would be too. But believe me, there was a really good reason for keeping it a secret."  
  
"Oh really!" snapped Phil suddenly. "And what could possibly be more important than keeping Red alive?"  
  
"Keeping you alive." Said Willy simply.  
  
Phil stared at him and then a dim sense of comprehension took over as his memory kicked into gear and he remembered the strange incidents that had preceded Red's 'death'. He had been having an unusual run of bad luck that included a robbery, a car accident and a mugging that left him in the hospital for a few days.  
  
"Are you telling me that Jack was involved?" he asked Willy.  
  
"All the way."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He believes what he reads in the papers. We both know what really happened but the public has another story. Do you really think that he's going to believe her if she says that she didn't really do it."  
  
"No. He wants revenge and he'll stop at nothing to get it." Said Phil wryly. "But where do I fall into all of this and why fake her death?"  
  
"Well you see."  
  
Will sat with Phil for the better part of an hour explaining everything that had happened and why there were secrets. After a while Phil understood why he had been left out of the loop but he still wasn't pleased that he had lost two years with her.  
  
Willy left just before lunchtime and Phil couldn't get to a phone until that afternoon. He placed a call to the Pond and asked that any of the team give him a call as soon as they got the message. He sat twiddling his thumbs until that evening when they finally called him to the phone. It was Wing.  
  
"Hi Phil, what's the problem?"  
  
"Where's Red?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What do you mean you don't know?" demanded Phil frantically. "I asked you to keep an eye on her!"  
  
"Phil, calm down." Said Wing slowly. "Duke's watching her. He knows where she is. We thought that if she can get used to one of us, it'll be easier getting her used to the rest later."  
  
Phil blew out his breath and only then realized that he had been holding it.  
  
"You're right Wing. I'm sorry I panicked."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It's just that a few people don't like her being around and if they find her, they'll try and hurt her."  
  
"You mean like Jack and his cronies?"  
  
"You've met Jack?" asked an astounded Phil.  
  
"Yeah. They caused a bit of trouble at Willy's place and he called Grin to give him a hand. Why do they want Red?"  
  
Phil remained silent and Wing sighed.  
  
"I suppose that this is another of the 'things we don't talk about'?"  
  
"I'm sorry." Said Phil. "I know you don't like secrets but I promised that I'd keep it."  
  
"Yeah well, just as long as you're doing okay."  
  
"As well as to be expected. I postponed the court date for three more days."  
  
"Why?" demanded Wing. "The sooner we can get this to court the sooner we can get you out."  
  
"Wing," said Phil calmly. "I have to have evidence and Red's working on that, but she has to make it airtight or else they'll put me away. She needs time."  
  
"I guess so. It's not like we know a lot about the law. Please be careful Phil, I know enough to know that prison isn't a piece of cake."  
  
"I'm fine Wing, really."  
  
The two finished their conversation and Phil hung up and was escorted back to his cell and Wing went back to the common room. He threw himself on the sofa and muttered something about secrets and wasting time.  
  
"Want to talk about it?" asked Mal from the other side.  
  
"Not really." Said Wing tersely.  
  
"Someone's grouchy." She teased.  
  
"Yeah well, you'd be too if you had to try and deal with all of this." He snapped.  
  
"Actually Wing, I do have to deal with this - I am a member of the team you know." She chided gently.  
  
Wing blushed faintly and put his head in his hands. He growled out of frustration and Mal grinned.  
  
"Come sit here." she ordered, pointing at the floor in front of her.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It wasn't a request."  
  
Wing got up and at in front of Mallory and leaned against the sofa. She put her hands on his temples and began to work out the tension that was there.  
  
"Now," she said as she worked. "Tell me all about it.  
  
Mal kept silent and continued rubbing as Wing vented his frustrations and concerns. During the rant, she switched to his shoulders and neck. When he was finished, he felt wrung out and much lighter. He turned and smiled at Mal.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"No problem. Now you're going to hit the shower while I make popcorn and then we're going to watch this comedy that I rented."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
************ Wing and Mal were watching a movie. Dive was busy brushing up on his TV games. Tanya and Grin were staring into each other eyes while their food got cold. So how was Duke doing with the supposedly felonious lasagna?  
  
**************  
  
Red scowled at Duke and then put away the gun. Seating herself back at the desk, she looked up and said:  
  
"You are going to get yourself shot one of these days. It isn't wise to startle me."  
  
"Sorry Sweetheart, the elevator wasn't working."  
  
Red threw her pen at Duke in disgust and exclaimed:  
  
"I told you not to call me that!"  
  
"Like I'm gonna listen to you."  
  
She glared at him with narrow eyes while he calmly walked towards her.  
  
"Before I toss you outta here, how did you find me?" she asked casually, not wanting him to know how curious she was.  
  
Duke thought fast and said:  
  
"I followed you. Phil asked us to watch out for you and we already know that there are a few people here that don't like you."  
  
"Arrgh." She growled. "Can that man not keep anything to himself?"  
  
By now Duke had reached the desk and he took out the dish and put it on the desk in front of her. An inviting aroma wafted across to her, reminding her that she hadn't eaten for a while.  
  
"Don't be mad at Phil." Said Duke. "He's just lookin out for ya. I can see why too."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped, half standing up.  
  
Duke laughed and raised both hands.  
  
"Hey! I just meant that from what you threw at my head, it's obvious that you aren't eating right and unless you're into Goths, those shadows under yer eyes mean you ain't sleepin either."  
  
"Yeah well," she muttered. "You're cleaning that up by the way."  
  
"You threw it."  
  
"I was provoked!"  
  
Duke reached into the bag again and came up with a fork. He slid a paper napkin in between the tines like a white flag and offered it to her.  
  
"Truce?"  
  
Red couldn't help but laugh and took the fork from him and said:  
  
"Truce."  
  
*************  
  
Grin and Tanya were lost in each other's eyes as they moved around the center of the dance floor, oblivious to the rest of the restaurant patrons. Tanya had been delighted when Grin had asked her to dance and readily accepted. He was as light on his feet as he was on the ice and for some one of his size, surprisingly graceful as well. They were enjoying themselves so much that they didn't see the Chameleon, once again in disguise, snapping away with the camera.  
  
After he had enough shots of the dancing couple, Chameleon left the restaurant and teleported to the police station. There he infiltrated the cells as a guard and took photos of Phil as he played checkers in the common room. He was leaving the building when he saw Duke ride past on the duckcycle. He quickly whistled for a cab and trailed him to the warehouse district. There he watched as Duke picked the lock of one of the buildings and disappeared inside. He snapped photos of the whole thing and then wondered:  
  
* What's so valuable here? And I thought he had gone straight. *  
  
He clambered up the fire escape and peeped carefully through the window. He was shocked at what he saw. Duke was talking animatedly with a woman while she ate. They looked cozy so he finished the film with two shots of them. Then he climbed back down and teleported to the Raptor. Dragonus was waiting for him.  
  
" Did you get the rest of them?"  
  
"Yeah, I got some real interesting stuff."  
  
"Then get it to Wraith so he can develop them. Then you have a phone call to make, we are running on a deadline here."  
  
"Sure boss."  
  
Chameleon ran down to the labs where Wraith was still grumbling. Dragonus watched him go and then said aloud:  
  
"Those miserable mallards wont know what him them in the morning. Let's see them stop me this time!" 


	20. Stuck!

A/N: A bit of a short one - just thought that I'd get the ball rolling. Thanks for the support all of you guys that have read this!  
  
Dear Elfy: You have a point of the digital camera. Unfortunately the negatives getting exposed isn't the plan - but it is a good idea. I just wanted ol' Draggy doing the Wily Coyote thing - doing things the hard way. I am so grateful that you guys are taking the time out to actually read my story - believe me, I'm grateful.  
  
Dear Bluemoon Duchess: You're right - who knew that this is going to run for so long! I just hope I can keep it running long enough to tell the whole story without becoming repetitive.  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Grin had walked Tanya as far as her door and they didn't even realize that they had been standing in front of it for the last twenty minutes. They were too caught up in their friendly debate about modern art versus the classics.  
  
"Tell you what," said Tanya. "We'll make a day of it sometime and go to all the museums and galleries that we can find and each one can present their case to the other."  
  
"That's a great idea." Agreed Grin, who had managed to drop the formal attitude twelve minutes into their date.  
  
"But," he continued, "Until then I am going to have to bid you a fond farewell as I am tired and I think you are as well."  
  
Tanya grinned sheepishly as she had being battling against the urge to yawn at him. She nodded and then gave up the struggle and hid a large yawn behind both hands. Grin waited until she was done and then picked up one of her hands and brought it close to his lips.  
  
"Good night."  
  
"Good night and thank you for a wonderful time."  
  
"I look forward to the next one."  
  
He released her hand and watched as she entered her room. Only then did he start walking back to his room with a silly sort of smile on his face.  
  
Dive was waiting for him and pounced as soon as he came round the corner.  
  
"So, how did it go?"  
  
"Well."  
  
"That's all you have to say - well?" snorted Dive. "You can't be serious."  
  
"Little friend, when you have a date and feel the same indescribable storm of emotions that I have, then you will also say that your date went well."  
  
Dive looked blank for a moment and then said:  
  
"Gee buddy, I think that's the longest sentence that I've heard out of you."  
  
Grin patted him on the head and opened his door, intending to go to bed but Dive had other ideas. He rushed in and sat on the bed, saying:  
  
"Come on, I wanna hear all the details!"  
  
In the common room, Wing and Mal were finishing a second movie when they heard the couple returning. They looked at the clock and then at each other and smiled.  
  
"Looks like things went well." Commented Wing.  
  
"I'll find out tomorrow." Said Mal. "She was so tired this afternoon, I'm sure that she's asleep already."  
  
"Do you want to go to bed as well?"  
  
Mal thought for a moment and then said:  
  
"Actually I don't. You want to watch the late horror film?"  
  
'Yeah. It should be good for a laugh."  
  
They settled back down and let themselves be whisked away into a world of the living dead.  
  
Speaking of the living dead:  
  
Red was feeling decidedly uncomfortable and it wasn't just the fact that she was heaving her guts out in the toilet bowl. She had started on the lasagna that Duke had brought while he watched her. A few bites into her dinner, she had looked up at him in horror as she felt her stomach start to reject the rich food. Tossing down the fork, she had bolted to the toilet - making it just in time. Duke had been startled for a moment and had then figured out that the food was too much on an empty stomach. He had come round the curtain and held her hair out of the way as she was wracked by spasms.  
  
When she was done, he helped her to her feet and left her alone for a moment of privacy. She rinsed her mouth and washed her face and then took a brief look in the mirror to make sure her mouth was clean. She avoided eye contact with herself and felt her cheeks start to burn when she realized that Duke had seen her in such a weak position.  
  
* Toughness is a moot point when you're on your knees in front of the toilet. * She thought to herself.  
  
She came round the curtain and found Duke waiting for her. He clasped her elbow and steered her to the sofa. She started to protest and he said:  
  
"Shhh. You have to sit for a moment. I think the food was too much at once."  
  
Red sat down gratefully. The lack of food coupled with the recent nausea had left her shaky and confused. She leaned back and Duke looked down on her.  
  
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't think it would happen."  
  
"It's okay." She said. "I should have remembered that I do that if I haven't eaten for a while."  
  
"This has happened before?"  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes, dizziness crowding in. She heard Duke move away and then he called out:  
  
"Where's the cups?"  
  
"I think it's on the sink."  
  
Duke went behind the curtain in search of the cup. It seemed to be the only one that she had. As he poured water for her, he took another good look around the place and decided that her place was so sparse, a monk would be uncomfortable.  
  
He walked back to her with the water and found that she nodded off, her head leaning on the back of the sofa. Duke smiled and then put the cup on the table. He carefully slid her down so she would be comfortable and then put the lasagna in the fridge. It was predictably bare.  
  
He left the same way he had come in, making sure that the door locked behind him. Driving home, he passed the news van and he reminded himself to fetch the morning paper before Wing did. They always ended up fighting over it.  
  
*********************  
  
That morning:  
  
Wing sat bolt upright in bed, convinced that the Saurians had launched an all out invasion of the planet. He listened for a moment and then came to the conclusion that it wasn't an invasion, just every alarm that Drake 1 had. He fought his way out of the covers and then ducked as Dive's legs came swinging over the side of the top bunk. He dropped to the floor and turned to Wing.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I have no idea but at this time in the morning, it can't be good."  
  
Wing was speculating on it being one of Red's revenge pranks as he ran to the control room. He entered it with Dive close on his heels. Grin and Duke were coming from one direction and the girls from another. They gathered in front of the computer while Tanya shut off the alarms.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Wing with a yawn.  
  
"We're being mobbed!" exclaimed Tanya.  
  
"Whaddya' mean?" asked Duke.  
  
By way of explanation, she turned on the monitors that were on the outside of the building. To their horror there was a large crowd of journalists milling around outside. Some were trying the doors and others were heading up the fire escape.  
  
Magnus pulled up in his car and the crowd ran to surround him. Tanya turned on the speakers so that they could all hear what was going on.  
  
"Mr. Carter, is it true that Phil Palmfeather has been arrested for embezzlement?"  
  
"Are the Mighty Ducks involved?" "Is there any validity behind these pictures?"  
  
Magnus ignored the swarming journalists and fought his way up to the doors of the Pond. He unlocked the doors without comment and slipped inside. The press continued to bang on the doors, shouting questions.  
  
Magnus locked the door behind him and breathed a hiss of frustration. He went to his office to read the article in relative peace and quiet. He was about halfway through when there was a tapping on the door. He looked up as Wing and the rest of the team poked their heads around the door.  
  
"How did you get in?" he asked. "It's a mad house out there!"  
  
Wing just stayed quiet and then Magnus remembered that they lived there and then sighed.  
  
"Well, we're in big trouble."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Magnus tossed a newspaper across the desk and Wing picked it up.  
  
Splashed across the front page were various pictures of the team engaged in luxury activities. There was Tanya and Grin at dinner. There was Dive and Grin shopping in an expensive men's store. There were quite a few pictures of Mal and Tanya's shopping spree. The picture of Duke was really worrying. It showed him fiddling with the door of a warehouse and then slipping inside. There was another picture of him and Red, with her pointing her gun at him. The worst one though was the one of Phil in his cell. The headline screamed:  
  
Mighty Ducks manager caught for embezzlement - is the team involved? Judge for yourself!  
  
Wing groaned and passed it to the team who added similar sentiments. He looked at Magnus who was glaring at him.  
  
"Have you guys ever heard of a low profile?" he snapped.  
  
"We did nothing wrong!" exclaimed Mal.  
  
"I know that but the press doesn't!"  
  
"So why don't we tell the truth?" asked Duke. "Give them what they want and then they'll go away."  
  
Magnus snorted and said:  
  
"You guys obviously don't know the press very well. They won't move from this. Now they're going to start following the case and trying for interviews with you guys."  
  
"Shouldn't we do that?" asked Dive.  
  
"No. Not until they've started the official case with Phil. They are still gathering evidence and this can give them enough ammunition to put him away even if he is innocent."  
  
"So what do we do?" asked Wing.  
  
"We wait and try to avoid them as much as possible. You guys are stuck here."  
  
The team started to protest and then fell silent as they realized that he was right. There was no way out. Any use of the secret entrances would alert the press that there was more to the Pond than what they were letting on. They were trapped in their own home. 


	21. More trouble

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the actions of the Mighty Ducks as they do not belong to me! If there is a company by the name of Icetech, I don't know about it.  
  
A/N: You guys are still reading! That's great!  
  
Lily C - Nine? I actually didn't know that - I just write it as it comes! (Tell me what plot lines they are.) You'll see why they're stuck in this chapter.  
  
Bluemoon Duchess: Here's a nice long one for you.  
  
Chapter 21  
  
She was driving, racing along the streets with no regard to the traffic laws. She knew that she had to get there, she had to stop him. She pulled up outside the building and leapt from the car - but she was too late. The sickly red and blue of the flashing police lights swept across the night shrouded grounds and yellow barrier tape crisscrossed the scene. She ran past the policemen and fought off the one that tried to grab her. She saw the sheet covered figure lying supine on the ground and fell to her knees beside it. With a trembling hand, she reached out to twitch the sheet away, knowing that the face underneath would be as familiar to her as her own.  
  
Red jerked awake with a thin cry of terror. The dream wasn't a dream - rather a memory that she forced herself to remember everyday. She knew that the guilt would never bring him back, but at least she would never forget that she was responsible for his death.  
  
She stood up and went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face and then went to her desk. She noticed that the lasagna was missing and she looked in the fridge to see if Duke had left it there. He had. She took it to the roof with her and ate a fair portion as she watched the sunrise. When she was done, she left the building on foot and went to the newsstand. A paper was the next step into getting into Icetech, the last suspect on her list. She didn't look at the paper until she was almost back at her place and then the headlines caught her eye.  
  
Leaning against the wall, she read the article completely and then crumpled the paper in disgust. She stormed back to the warehouse and collected her cap, guns and keys. She threw herself into the car and savagely turned the key in the ignition. There was no answering roar of the finely tuned engine and her eyes widened. She got out and lifted the hood. She stared at the engine for a long while and then she slammed down the hood and locked the car. Setting off at a run, she came to the main street and hailed the first cab she saw.  
  
"Anaheim Pond, right now!"  
  
************  
  
Tanya was busy looking from monitor to monitor. They couldn't use the Migrator or the Aerowing, as it would alert them to the facilities under the ice and once the press got in there would be no way of getting them out. The only way out that Tanya could think of was the emergency exit that they had put in the sewers. But using it would still be risky since the tunnel opened up in the Pond's parking lot. There was always the off chance the one of the news hounds would spot them coming out. Then it would be all over.  
  
Wing was thinking about what they could do. He figured that Dragonus was behind the story and that he had done it to pin them down. Their secret strong hold had turned out to be an exploitable weakness. Duke and Dive were sitting at another monitor comparing the movement of the press to that of roaches when they found a leftover pizza crust. Then something else caught Dive's eye and he nudged Duke.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Looks like we're getting a visitor." He said pointing to a cab that had pulled up outside the gates. Red had gotten out and was determinedly stomping towards the entrance. Because her distinctive hair was covered, the reporters mistook her for another of their ilk, until she gave herself away. She reached the doors and wasted no time in picking the locks open. Up close, one of the reporters had a chance to get a better look at her and put two and two together. He yanked off her cap and started snapping away with his camera.  
  
Randy was ecstatic. He would have the only close up pictures of Duke's mystery friend. Suddenly the lens turned dark and his blood turned cold as he realized what he was looking at. He lowered his camera from the muzzle of Red's gun and gave her a weak grin. She snatched the camera away and then slipped inside before he had a chance to protest, not that he was going to argue with the Desert Eagle that had just introduced itself.  
  
Locking the doors behind her, Red turned the camera over in her hands, going for the film and realized that it was a digital one. She tucked it into her pocket and put the gun away. Then she went looking for Magnus. She found his office and kicked open the door, startling him. She wasted no time, stalked around the desk and hauled him up by his collar in both hands.  
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she demanded.  
  
Magnus couldn't answer as his collar was cutting off his air supply. Red ignored his purpling face and shook him.  
  
"Do you realize that this could ruin Phil's chances of getting out of this? Answer me!"  
  
"He can't answer if he can't breathe sweetheart." Came Duke's voice from behind her.  
  
She dropped Magnus and turned to see Duke, Wing and Dive in the doorway.  
  
She wiped her hands on her jacket and asked:  
  
"What is going on here?"  
  
"We don't know." Said Wing. "Someone leaked this to the press."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"No one here." said Dive. "We aren't that dumb."  
  
Red was about to answer him when her cell rang and Wildwing's com went off. The pair answered their respective devices.  
  
"Yeah?" snapped Red. "Yeah I saw it, I'm here now with him. I don't know. I have to carry on with it. So? What's one more threat on me? Yes Willy I will. Bye."  
  
"What's up Tanya? The chameleon, where? I'm on my way."  
  
Wing looked up at Red and said:  
  
"There's the leak."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The chameleon."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Some one that doesn't like us." Said Dive quickly. He didn't want her knowing about the Saurians. In her present mood, she might just try to pick a fight with them as well.  
  
"Well they don't like me either." She shouted, kicking the chair for emphasis.  
  
"They don't even know you." Said Wing, trying to calm her down.  
  
She turned her icy gaze on him and asked in a hissing tone:  
  
"Then why is the engine of my car mangled beyond recognition? It looks like some one put it through a blender and then put it back in the car."  
  
"How did they even know who you were?" asked a puzzled Dive.  
  
"Ask your friend Sir Do Good Deeds over there." she snapped, jerking a thumb at a stricken looking Duke.  
  
"Are you sure that it wasn't Jack or one of his gang?" asked Wing, not wanting Duke to take blame that wasn't his.  
  
"No way." She said emphatically. "Jack doesn't know where I live and even if he did, he wouldn't trash my car. He'd just break in and kill me."  
  
"You're kidding right?" asked Dive.  
  
She gave him a withering look and said:  
  
"I don't joke about people wanting to kill me." She said.  
  
"Why would he want to kill you?"  
  
Red had reached the end of her patience and didn't even bother trying to dodge the question. She looked into Dive's eyes and said:  
  
"I killed his brother too."  
  
*********************************  
  
Back in the Raptor, Dragonus was sitting in his comfortable chair with his morning coffee and the paper. He was congratulating himself on a job well done. Siege came bumbling in and reported:  
  
"I took care of the car like you asked, but I still don't know why. I mean, who is she?"  
  
Dragonus was in too good of a mood to be annoyed with his underling's questions and decided to answer them instead.  
  
"I don't yet but if that mallard is visiting her, she isn't just a passing acquaintance. I want her to stay put until I know if she's a threat or not."  
  
"And if she is?"  
  
"Then we'll take care of her. In the meantime, I want you and Wraith to go to the power plant on the other side of town and start rigging up the charging devices. The sooner we can charge the Raptor's power cells, the better."  
  
Siege snapped off a sloppy salute and went to get Wraith. Dragonus watched him go and then turned his attention back to the paper. He sniggered out loud:  
  
"Oh yes, trapped by your own cleverness. If you want to stop me, you'll have to expose yourselves. Then that nosey cop will tie you down with so much red tape, you'll be stuck in bureaucratic limbo forever."  
  
***************************  
  
When Siege and Wraith arrived at the power plant, it didn't take them long to run off the employees. A few well placed fireballs and they were happy to leave the place in the control of aliens from another dimension. Wraith started connecting the charging unit while Siege did the grunt work of hauling the power cells from the truck. The process was not unlike taking out the batteries of a favorite toy and putting them on charge.  
  
But these were no torch batteries. When the couplings were all in place, Wraith powered up the grid and threw the switch, rerouting all main power to the charging unit. They looked up at the board that was a full map of the city with little lights representing major city grids. One by one the lights went out until there were none left burning. Wraith sneered at them and continued to watch as the digital numbers climbed towards full capacity.  
  
*************************** Wildwing was staring at Red in horror when the lights flickered and then went out completely. With the curtains drawn, the room was plunged into blackness.  
  
"Now what?" said Dive.  
  
"Dunno, did Tanya do anything?" asked Duke.  
  
"Tanya?" Wing called into the Com unit. "Are you up to anything down there?"  
  
"No. There's a massive power drain all over the city. We're okay down here because of the fusion generator. Let me patch the whole Pond in."  
  
A few moments later, the lights flickered into brightness again. The ducks turned to each other and Wing spoke into the com again.  
  
"Thanks Tanya."  
  
"No problem. But I think that Dragonus is up to something."  
  
"I'd say that's an understatement." Said Dive wryly.  
  
"So what do we do, I mean it's not like we can just open the hangar and fly outta here." said Duke.  
  
"I'm not sure yet." Said Wing. "But I think that you should stay here Red. I mean, they do know where you live now."  
  
He turned to look at her only to see an empty space. She had taken the opportunity and slipped away under the cover of blackness. Magnus had taken his seat again and was holding his head in his hands.  
  
"What are we gonna do?" asked Duke. "We can't just sit here."  
  
"We're going to have to risk going out through the sewers." Said Wing.  
  
"And I thought that the day couldn't get any worse." He complained as they left the office.  
  
Back underground, Wing called a tactical meeting and assigned the ducks their tasks.  
  
"Dive, I want you to stay here and monitor Drake 1. Dragonus is bound to try something else while the power's down and I want to know as soon as he moves."  
  
Dive didn't bother answering, just pouted that he was going to be left out - again!  
  
"The rest of you will come with me. We have to stop them at the power plant but we're going to be short on equipment. So it'll take brute force."  
  
"I could use the exercise." Said Mal with a shrug.  
  
"Then we're off."  
  
The team headed out the sewer exit and carefully made their way topside. They hid in the bushes and looked at the crowd. There was no way that they could make it to Magnus's car and Phil's was in the garage. No matter which way they went, someone was going to spot them. They did the only thing that they could do under the circumstances. They ran for it.  
  
The four ducks raced out of the bushes and headed straight for the fence. The press gave chase as soon as they spotted them but the ducks were faster. They scaled the fence and disappeared up the nearest alley. Since avoiding people was a forte of his, Duke was in the lead. He led them up the alley and then into the main street. Spotting a cab, he jumped into the middle of the road, forcing it to stop. They piled in and the cabby, noticing the crowds behind him took the hint of a fifty-dollar bill under his nose and sped away, leaving the press standing in a cloud of smoke.  
  
**************  
  
Red didn't know how long the power would be off. She looked up the street hoping to see a cab but what she saw changed her mind. The intersection was crammed with cars that couldn't decide who had the right of way. Looking up she saw that the traffic lights were not working and she figured that the power out was a big one. She dashed into the nearest phone booth and dialed a number that she knew by heart.  
  
"Icetech good day."  
  
'Good morning, I was wondering if the open receptionist position had been filled?" asked Red, referring to an ad that she had seen.  
  
"Not yet. You're welcome to come for an interview."  
  
"When would that be?"  
  
"How about three this afternoon?"  
  
"That's perfect."  
  
"I need your name for the appointment."  
  
"Angela, Angela Finch."  
  
"See you at three. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Red hung up and then stood for a moment, planning her day. She needed a car and there was only one person she could get one at short notice. She set off on foot towards The Rusty Nail.  
  
Willy was washing the bar off when there was a banging on the back door. It sounded like someone was trying to kick it down. He grinned and went to the back.  
  
"Hello Red." He said as he opened the door.  
  
"How did you know it was me?" she demanded. "You shouldn't just open the door before making sure who's on the other side."  
  
"Only you knock like that."  
  
"You mean kick."  
  
"Same thing." He said with a shrug. "What's wrong besides the obvious?"  
  
"I need lunch and a car in that order."  
  
While she ate, she told him all about Duke's visit and the vandalism of her engine. She also told him about the conversations that she had had with them that morning. When she reached the part about killing Jack's brother, Willy sighed and said:  
  
"You know that's not true."  
  
"It's the truth that the world knows and I'm not about to change it."  
  
"But you didn't."  
  
"Stifle Willy and gimme your keys. I got work to do and not a lot of time left."  
  
Willy gave her a disapproving scowl as he handed over the keys to his car and watched as she left the same way she had come in. He went back to cleaning the bar and mumbling to himself.  
  
"She's going to have to tell someone before she leaves again. I wonder who will get it out of her?"  
  
********************  
  
The ducks were getting more and more frustrated. They had gotten gridlocked in the traffic confusion and had been stuck for the last half-hour. They didn't want to get out and run as the press were still on the look out for them. If they were spotted, then they would be trailed to the power plant and then innocent people would be in needless danger. Eventually they got moving again and as they headed to the outer edges of the city, they picked up speed since the traffic was light.  
  
When they got there, Wing paid off the cabby and sent him on his way. Then they quietly scaled the fence and started looking for Dragonus's hench- lizards. They weren't hard to find. Wind outlined a quick plan.  
  
"Grin, you and I will take Siege. Duke, you and Mal will take Wraith. Tanya, as soon as they're out of the way, I need you to undo what they've done."  
  
"That will take a couple of minutes, can you hold them for that long?"  
  
"We have to."  
  
"Then lets do it." Said Mal, priming her puck launcher.  
  
The ducks didn't waste time with more stealth. They came round the corner shooting. Siege immediately returned fire while Wraith ducked. Then he had to run as Mal and Duke came at him from both sides. He retaliated with the traditional fireballs. The attack had the desired effect and the control console was left unattended, giving Tanya the chance to run up and start switching off the power and uncoupling the charging unit. She had almost finished when Siege realized what she was doing.  
  
"Wraith, get outta here." he shouted as he activated his teleportation device.  
  
The two Saurians dematerialized with the equipment going a few seconds later.  
  
Wing came up to Tanya as she was restoring the power.  
  
"Is everything alright?"  
  
"Yeah, they didn't do any damage, but they did manage to charge the power cells for the Raptor."  
  
"How far?"  
  
"About halfway. It'll give Dragonus more flight range and a few of the outer cannons."  
  
"And the dimensional gateway generator?"  
  
"No. He still needs a lot more power for that."  
  
"Then we deal with him when he comes. Right now we have to get back to the Pond."  
  
"Is that really wise?" asked Grin.  
  
"Yeah, " agreed Duke. "There was so much trouble getting out, we're bound to have as much trouble getting in."  
  
"Then where do we go?" asked Mal.  
  
"We could always go and wait at Willy's place." Said Grin.  
  
"Not a good idea." Said Tanya. "It's a public place and we don't exactly blend into the background."  
  
"Then where do we go that's not public?"  
  
Duke frowned and then said:  
  
"I know of a place, but she'll kill me if she finds us all there."  
  
"Red's place"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Why don't we ask Willy to pass a message on to her?" asked Grin, taking his cell out of his pocket.  
  
"Good idea." Said Wing.  
  
Grin placed the call and Willy said that he would ask but he wouldn't be surprised if she said no. He promised to call back in a moment and true to his word, the phone rang five minutes later.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Grin, she said yes."  
  
"I am surprised."  
  
"No more than me pal. She said that if you touch or snoop, she'll know and then you'll be in so much trouble, you'll wish the press did have you."  
  
"I understand. Thank you."  
  
"Don't thank me, thank her. She'll be back later this evening."  
  
Grin put the phone away and looked at Duke.  
  
"You will have to guide us there, and she said no snooping."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Wing had advised Dive on the situation and he agreed to stay put and let them know if something else happened. They left to try and get another taxi. They found one with relative ease and got it to drop them two blocks from her place. They completed the trip on foot, making sure that no one had seen them. When they got up there, Mal took one look around the place and said:  
  
"What a dump!"  
  
"Better not let her hear that." Advised Duke.  
  
"Yeah yeah." She said, plunking down on the couch and closing her eyes.  
  
The ducks made themselves as comfortable as possible and started the wait.  
  
***************  
  
Red took one last look at herself as she rode in the elevator up to the third floor. She adjusted the black wig and tugged at the hen of her skirt. She just hoped that her disguise lasted long enough for her to get the information that she needed. The doors opened and she stepped out into the foyer. Stepping up to the desk she looked at the lady behind the desk and said:  
  
"Good afternoon, I have a three o'clock appointment."  
  
"Angela right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Take a seat, Mr. Reynolds will be with you in a few minutes."  
  
She sat on the offered chair and covertly looked around for CCTV cameras. Lucky for her, they pointed at the lift only. She picked up a magazine and pretended to read while she eavesdropped on the receptionist's conversation.  
  
"Are you sure? Well I can but it'll take a while. Sure."  
  
The woman put the phone down and looked up at Red.  
  
"Excuse me, Angela?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I have to upstairs to another department. I'm going to be while, would you like to wait here or can I schedule you another appointment?"  
  
"I can wait."  
  
"Okay." She stepped out from behind the desk and then paused. "Um, if he comes back and asks where I am."  
  
"You've just gone to the bathroom." Grinned Red.  
  
"Thank you." She said with a smile.  
  
Red watched as she got into the lift and vanished from sight. She sat still for a few minutes and then slipped in behind the desk. Glancing at the machine, she accessed the account files and ran straight into password protection. She frowned and started looking around the desk.  
  
*If the password changed as often as it used to, then she would need help remembering it. * She thought as she searched. *Bingo! *  
  
She found the paper taped to the bottom of the mouse pad. Logging on, she called up all the information that she needed and sent it to herself in an e-mail. Then she logged off and left the desk as she had found it. Taking her seat, she thought to herself.  
  
*That was easier than I thought. Now all I have to do is get in here tonight. *  
  
She waited a few more minutes and then stood up and left.  
  
********************  
  
Dive was wandering around the Pond as bored as ever. He had spoken to Wing a few times over the com and then went quiet, as they wanted to keep the channel clear. He decided to grab a few comics and a snack and settle in the command room and continue watching the monitors for any saurian activity, although it didn't look like ol' Draggy was planning on moving any time soon.  
  
Meanwhile, Magnus was at the police station, trying to find out where the leak had come from. Klegghorn was being his usual taciturn self.  
  
"I'm telling you that this department is clean." He insisted. "None of my guys would even consider taking photos for the news."  
  
"Then how did they get them?" demanded Magnus. "Did someone just walk in off the street and get access to the supposedly secure cells?"  
  
"I don't like your tone mister!"  
  
"Well I don't like your idea of secure!"  
  
Klegghorn took a deep breath and then said:  
  
"Look, I don't know how it happened but the damage has been done. Let's concentrate on keeping it under control."  
  
"Then you're going to have to remove those damn reporters from the Pond's grounds. The team is hiding in the city somewhere because they can't come home."  
  
"I'll send some men to clear the area and keep it clear. Will that satisfy you?"  
  
"I'll take it for now but you have to make sure that no one else gets to Phil."  
  
"I'll make sure of it."  
  
Magnus stalked out without saying goodbye and got into his car. He hoped that the police cleared the press soon. He didn't like the idea of having the team somewhere in the city without any way to contact them. He was on his way back to the Pond when he was overtaken by several police cars and a riot van. Obviously Klegghorn had taken him seriously. By the time he had arrived at the Pond, the press were gone and several guards were stationed at the main gate and around the property. They waved him through and he went inside and up to his office. He was tired and worried - this was getting out of control.  
  
**************  
  
The team were lounging around when they heard the scrape of a key in the door and Red came in. They stared for a moment and then Duke couldn't contain himself any more.  
  
"What happened to you?" he asked with laughter in his voice.  
  
Red was wearing a short black wig and a long white dress. She looked as if she were a nun in training. She scowled at him and yanked the wig off, scratching at her scalp.  
  
"I don't blend easily, I'm sure that you know what I mean." She snapped.  
  
"Just kidding." Said Duke with his hands raised. "I know about trying to blend in."  
  
Wing was going to ask where she had been when his com beeped.  
  
"Yes Dive?"  
  
"The cops have come and taken the press away. You guys can come home now."  
  
"That's great. We'll be leaving in a few moments."  
  
"I'll order pizza. Dive out."  
  
Wing turned to Red who was starting up her laptop. He regarded her carefully, not sure how to broach the subject on his mind.  
  
"Uh, Red?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I think it would be better if you gathered your stuff and came and stayed at the Pond with us."  
  
Red stared at him and then asked incredulously:  
  
"And why would I want to do that?"  
  
"The people that trashed your engine don't like us at all and now that they know you are connected to us, that makes you a target."  
  
"I'm a walking target already so I'll take my chances here."  
  
"But it's not safe." He insisted. "They have no conscience and if they think that it'll hurt us, they will come after you."  
  
Red unexpectedly smiled at him and said:  
  
"You're sweet but I have to stay here. There is still work for me and I have to get it done soon or we'll run out of time."  
  
"But."  
  
"But nothing." She said with a glare, the smile vanishing as fast as it had come.  
  
Wing shrugged and then said:  
  
"It's your choice. Come on gang, let's go home."  
  
They said goodbye to Red and left the warehouse and caught a cab back to the Pond. They were pleased to see that the place was clear. Dive was glad to see that no one had gotten hurt. He had ordered the pizzas and they arrived soon after the gang came back. They had a quiet dinner and then Wing said:  
  
"I think we should sort this out tomorrow. We're all tired and maybe we can think better with some rest."  
  
They all nodded and headed to their rooms for an early night, hoping that there would be no disturbances during the night.  
  
They were wrong. 


	22. Fire!

Disclaimer: Yadda Yadda Yadda  
  
Chapter 22  
  
Red consulted the list in the torchlight and made the final tick marks next to the invoice numbers. She now had everything that she needed but she wasn't finished yet. Locking the office door behind her, she went down the corridor and went into the CEO's office. There was something else that she was looking for and she had a good idea on where to find it. Using her picks, she methodically went through all the draws on the desk and all the filing cabinets in the office - nothing. She was beginning to think that she had been wrong when her eyes caught the painting on the wall. There was no shadow from the lamplight and that meant only one thing: there was something behind it.  
  
Pulling the painting off the wall, she was slightly stumped to find nothing but a blank wall. Tapping it didn't produce the sounds that meant that it was hollow. She frowned and then turned her attention to the painting itself. It was a fairly mundane picture of mountains surrounded by a heavy wooden frame. The fact that it cast no shadow was because it had been lined with a rubber backing. People were doing this more and more to prevent damage when there was a quake. She reached into her boot and drew out a narrow blade. Peeling off the rubber, she found a hardboard back and when she pried that off, there was a heavy brown envelope. She grinned in triumph and opened it. There were several legal documents and she quickly read through them. What she found confirmed her suspicions. She quickly made copies and put the painting back as she had found it.  
  
* Now to get out of here. * She thought.  
  
She crept up the hallway and started erasing traces of her being there. That included taking away the Polaroid photos that she had placed in front of the cameras, giving any one watching the impression that the hallways were clear. Soon there was no trace of her visit and she was in the underground parking lot. She slipped into the manhole, pulling the cover back into place as she went. Then it was a short walk through the fetid sewers until she came to another manhole in a back alley. She climbed out and made her way back to her place, ignoring the rain that soaked her.  
  
* Man I miss my car. * She thought as she walked in the drizzle.  
  
**********************  
  
Dragonus was busy clipping out the newspaper reports on the ducks when the Chameleon came into the room. He looked worried. "Boss, I got something to tell you."  
  
"So spill it." Said Dragonus impatiently, the scissors awkward in his claws.  
  
"I kept an eye on that woman like you said and I tailed her tonight. It looks like she's trying to get evidence on the embezzlement."  
  
Dragonus slammed the clippings down and scowled.  
  
"I want you and Wraith to go and make sure that she can't get that Palmfeather off the hook. I have some more information for the press but it wont do a bit of good is he's running free."  
  
"Sure boss, we'll make sure that she's no trouble. She wont be that hard to get rid of."  
  
He left the control room and went to get Wraith. They teleported into the alley behind the warehouse and plotted their attack.  
  
Red was engrossed with the new paperwork when she heard a banging on the door below. She stomped to the elevator and rode down. Looking through the peephole, she saw Dive standing outside in the rain, looking really frightened. She opened the door and yanked him inside.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'll tell you in a minute, can we go upstairs?"  
  
"Sure." Said a concerned Red.  
  
She led the way to the elevator and missed him unlatching the door. They rode up and then she turned to him and asked:  
  
"Now what's wrong and can I help?"  
  
"Yeah you can." Said Dive but his voice was all wrong.  
  
To Red's horror, the teenage duck started to change into a short little green lizard like man. She backed away towards, her arms crossing in front of her.  
  
"And I thought that you had no heart." He mocked. "But I guess you're just as soft as the rest of them."  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"The Chameleon, at your service." He said with a bow.  
  
"You're the one that trashed my engine!"  
  
"Actually that was my buddy Siege but I'll pass on your regards."  
  
Red was about to snap out a reply when the elevator came back up and another lizard man came out. This one looked like it had seen many years and better days.  
  
"I suppose your Siege."  
  
"No. I am Wraith - remember my name, it is the last thing you will ever hear."  
  
She watched as he formed a fireball in his hands but before he had time to throw it, she had drawn her guns and opened fire. The chameleon wasted no time in ducking away and hiding behind the sofa. She turned her attention Wraith, but he managed to conjure up a bulletproof shield. Suddenly she felt an enormous blow against her shoulder and a searing pain. She turned to see that the Chameleon had drawn an energy weapon and had shot at her. But his aim was as sorry as his face and the energy blast had glanced off her shoulder. But it was enough to send her crashing to the floor.  
  
"Well done." Said Wraith, the shield fizzling out. "Now to clean up."  
  
He sent fireballs flaming into the corners of the room where they instantly started to burn. He watched them for a few moments, making sure that they were burning well and then turned to the Chameleon.  
  
"Lets go. This place will go up in flames and the authorities will blame it on faulty wiring."  
  
"Nice job old timer." Smirked the chameleon.  
  
Red watched from the floor as the two Saurians left in the elevator. She was still stunned from the blast and had difficulty getting back on her feet. By the time she was up, the flames were crawling up the walls and across the ceiling. The heat was incredible and noxious black smoke was making it difficult to breathe. She groped around the desk for her cell phone and managed to dial but had to crouch on the floor as she was running out of fresh air. Willy answered on the third ring.  
  
"What's wrong?" "My place is on fire, send help." She rasped into the phone. She was trying to tell him what had happened when she was overcome by coughing and dropped the phone.  
  
Willy stared at the dead phone for a second and then he called Grin and told him what had happened. Since he didn't know where she was, he had to send someone else besides the proper authorities.  
  
"Damn it Red." He shouted to the empty room. "Your obsession with privacy is going to get you killed."  
  
************ Grin banged on Wing's door and didn't wait to be invited. He barged in as Wing switched on the lamp.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Red has been attacked. Her place is burning and Willy asked us to go and help."  
  
Wing started to move quickly and said:  
  
"So why can't he just send the fire department? It's not like she really asked us for our help anyway."  
  
"He doesn't know where to send anyone. Besides Dragonus, we are the only ones that know where she lives." Said Grin pointedly.  
  
Wing flashed into battle gear and said:  
  
"You get the others while I check on the guards outside."  
  
Grin went to wake the others and Wing went to the control room to see which would be the best way of getting out of the Pond without showing the police too much. It seemed that the Migrator was going to be best. He alerted the others to meet him in the garage and within minutes, they were on their way to Red's place.  
  
***************  
  
Red was frantically stuffing the documents and files into the bag with her laptop while trying to stay as low to the ground as possible. The flames had engulfed the whole one side of the room, taking out the fridge, the shower and her sofa. A second column of thick smoke rose from the elevator's shaft and she guessed that Wraith had made sure that it was out of commission. She was trying to breathe as shallowly as possible but the smoke was still searing her throat and her vision was down to nothing as tears streamed from her eyes. She was still stuffing the bag when she heard the screech of tires in the street below. She crawled to the window and looked out. The Migrator was below and the ducks were streaming towards her door. She frantically banged on the window until one of them looked up.  
  
Mal heard the banging and looked up. She saw that Red was crouched by the window and she grabbed hold of Wing.  
  
"There she is!" she said, pointing up.  
  
"Let's get her out of there." said Wing, starting towards the door again. But Tanya stopped him this time.  
  
"Wait Wing. Use the mask and check to see if it's burning behind the door."  
  
Wing did as he was asked and confirmed Tanya's suspicion. The whole lower floor was a raging inferno. If they opened the door, it would flare out and roast anything in its path. Then the inside would explode. He looked round and said:  
  
"Up the stairs, we have to break the window and pull her out."  
  
Wing and Grin went up the fire escape and shouted through the glass:  
  
"Stand back!"  
  
Red moved to the side as Grin got a grip on the window frame. With one powerful heave, he pulled the entire pane out of the frame and Wing immediately stepped thorough with his shield activated. The inrush of air beat the flames back for a moment and then fed them, stoking them even higher. Grin extended a hand and Red pushed the bulging duffel bag at him.  
  
"This first."  
  
He grabbed it and tossed it over the rail to Duke who caught it neatly, staggering under the unexpected weight. Then he reached out a hand to her and pulled her through. They started down the stairway while Wing brought up the rear. The smoke was choking all three of them and visibility was bad. They were about halfway down when Red suddenly turned around and pushed past Grin and started back up. Wing grabbed her and she struggled to get free.  
  
"Let me go, I have to get something else!"  
  
"There's no time. The place is totally on fire now."  
  
"I have to!"  
  
She hit him sharply in the gut and the sudden blow startled him enough for her to wriggle around him and charge back up the stairs. She disappeared into the cloud of black smoke that was billowing out from the broken window. Wing was about to give chase when Duke put his hand on his arm. He had run up when he saw her start struggling.  
  
"You've been in there once, I'll get her out."  
  
Wing nodded, his eyes streaming from the smoke. Duke squeezed past him and hurried to the window. He saw Red kneeling behind the desk, trying to open one of the draws. The flames were licking at her hands but she was oblivious to them. He stepped through the frame and dodged the fragments of ceiling board that were beginning to fall.  
  
Red ignored the flames that were consuming the desk and wrenched at the draws. She couldn't get it open and was beginning to panic when a hand came down on her shoulder. She looked round to see Duke with his sabre drawn. He moved her away from the desk and used the blade to pry open the draw. As soon as it was open she reached in and drew out the photo frame that he had seen when he had investigated her place. She hugged it to her chest and sagged against the burning desk. Duke could see that she was barely hanging onto consciousness and he heaved her to her feet and pushed her out onto the fire escape. They were just about down when emergency vehicles came screaming round the corner.  
  
Red didn't pay attention to the sirens or the babble of voices that surrounded her, she was concentrating so hard on keeping her rapidly numbing fingers wrapped around the photograph. She was vaguely aware of reaching the street and then a black wave swept over her. The last thing she did hear was Duke's voice close to her ear:  
  
"Don't worry, I gotcha." 


	23. Whispered warnings

Disclaimer: I wish they were mine but you know what they say about wishing don't you.  
  
A/N: Still going!  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Duke felt Red's legs go out from under her as she lost consciousness and he lifted her into his arms.  
  
"I gotcha." He murmured in her ear, hoping she had heard him.  
  
He carried her over to the emergency crew where they set about treating her. The frame in her hands was impeding their work and Duke tried to take it away but even in oblivion, she was determined to hang onto it. He had to uncurl her fingers by gentle force but he eventually had the photo in his hands.  
  
He had tucked it in his belt when the rest of the team came rushing up.  
  
"Duke, you're hurt!" exclaimed Tanya as she caught sight of the blood smeared over his chest.  
  
Looking down, he saw that he was covered in blood from his neck down. Touching it with both hands, he stared at the crimson stain on his fingers. Then he looked up at Wing with a stricken expression, holding his hands out.  
  
"It's not mine." He whispered in horror. "It's hers."  
  
Wing was about to say something when the ambulance peeled out of the street, its siren wailing. Duke turned to Wing and said:  
  
"You need treatment for the smoke, you go to the Pond. I'll catch up later."  
  
"You both need treatment." Said Tanya firmly. "The sooner I see to you guys, the sooner you can get to the hospital."  
  
Duke was about to argue when he caught the stern look on her face. When Tanya was in doctor mode, there was no way of getting around her, not even for a smooth talker like himself. He grudgingly nodded and boarded the Migrator.  
  
******************  
  
Red had been taken to surgery and was still there when the team arrived. Duke and Tanya elected to stay there while Wing and Dive went to find out if they could see Phil and Grin and Mal was updating Willy. Tanya had gone to the cafeteria to see if she could find a coffee machine, since it was the early hours of the morning and she needed a boost to keep going. Duke was pacing the hallway when they wheeled Red past him and put her into a single room. He followed and insisted on being allowed to stay in the room with her.  
  
The room was covered in shadows and the only light was from the dim glow of the machinery that was monitoring Red as she lay in the bed. Duke sat in the chair in the corner of the room and listened to the steady beating of her heart.  
  
Red stirred slightly and Duke was instantly on his feet. He watched her for a moment, not sure if she was going to wake. She stirred again and then started mumbling. He leaned closer, trying to hear what she was saying, but it was too jumbled. He was pulling back when her eyes snapped open and she looked around in panic. He could see from the glaze in her eyes that she was in pain and still under the influence of the anesthetic and wasn't too sure of who he was.  
  
Red struggled to make her numbed brain function but it felt like someone had stuffed her head full of cotton wool. She didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there. She vaguely recognized the duck that was looking at her but she couldn't remember his name. She was getting frustrated and then became aware of something lying across her face and she reached for it, wanting to take it away, but couldn't get a grip on it. With mounting horror she realized that her hands were covered in bandages and splints.  
  
Duke gently caught Red's wrists as she reached for the oxygen feed on her nose. She frowned and tried to jerk away but he held firm. She was weak and gave up without any more struggle. She tried to focus her eyes on him but a creeping blackness at the edge of her vision was stealing the light. Before she could say anything, it overtook her and she slipped into sleep once more.  
  
Duke put her hands down and twitched the covers straight. He tugged at his hair and heaved a deep sigh. A soft noise at the door made him turn around and he saw Tanya there with two cups of coffee in her hands.  
  
"Come with me." She whispered.  
  
He nodded and followed her to the waiting area, where they could talk a little more openly. He sat opposite Tanya and took one of the coffees. The brew burned as it went down and he welcomed the alertness that it gave him. He had downed almost half of the cup before he could look up at Tanya. She was watching him and he looked away quickly. She sighed and finished her coffee and then leaned back in the chair. Duke concentrated on the cup in his hands and didn't see the doctor going towards Red's room - but Tanya did. She got up and followed him, waiting at the door for him to come out. When he did, she caught hold of his arm.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm a friend of the family."  
  
The man cleared his throat and said:  
  
"She's a very lucky girl. There were some superficial burns but those will heal with no trouble. There is something that's puzzling me though."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"There's a wound on her shoulder that I can't understand. I had to sew it shut because it was so deep but there was almost no bleeding since it was already partially cauterized. If I didn't know any better I would say that it was an electrical burn but is doesn't fit the pattern. I honestly don't know what happened there. Do you?"  
  
"No. I wasn't there when the fire started but the fireman did say that the building most likely did have faulty wiring so your guess is probably right."  
  
The doctor nodded and then Tanya asked:  
  
"What about her hands?"  
  
"They were pretty badly burned. We had to immobilize them to let the skin heal up. If infection doesn't set in, they'll heal fine but she will probably need a bit of physiotherapy on them later. Like I said, she's very lucky.  
  
"How long will she be here?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Although she's going to be fine, her system seems very run down and she's going to need bed rest in order to heal. Is there someone who can look after her? If not, then she will have to stay here."  
  
"There are people at home." Tanya assured him. "I actually think that she would prefer to be at home."  
  
They spoke for a few moments more and then parted. Tanya went back to the waiting area and sat down. Duke had seen her going but hadn't had the nerve to follow her. He had a very good idea of what had happened to her and if that was the case, then he was to blame. He looked up at her and asked:  
  
"So how is she?"  
  
Tanya related the news to him and when she reached the part of the mystery wound, he closed his eye as his worst suspicions were confirmed.  
  
"It was an energy gunshot wasn't it?" he demanded.  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"That means the Saurians think she's working with us and I led them right to her!" he said angrily.  
  
"It's not your fault Duke." Said Tanya soothingly. "Why would they consider her a threat? It's not like they know any more about her than we do."  
  
Duke slammed himself into the chair with a growl of frustration. Tanya was about to say something else when Wing arrived with Dive in tow. She took them aside and brought them up to date. It didn't take Wing long to figure out that Duke was blaming himself. He nodded at Tanya and then took a seat next to his friend and Dive sat on the other side.  
  
"Yes, you led them to her place." Said Wing matter-of-factly. "But that doesn't mean you were responsible for her getting hurt. I should have warned her about them."  
  
"Why?" demanded Duke. "They would never have known about her if it wasn't for me and then they only went after her to get to us."  
  
"Wrong man." Said Dive with a snap of his fingers.  
  
The simple statement brought Duke up short and he asked elegantly:  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The lizards are obviously keeping tabs on Phil and that means that sooner or later they would have seen her. Sooner or later they would have figured out that she was trying to get Phil off the hook and since that's what they don't want, she's a threat to them all by herself."  
  
"He's right and you know it." Said Wing to the older mallard.  
  
Duke smiled wryly, ruffled Dive's hair and said:  
  
"Remind me to use you the next time Mal and I get into an argument. You make a good case kid."  
  
"I aim to please." Said Dive smugly.  
  
"Why don't you guys go home and get some sleep?" said Duke. "I'll stay here for when she wakes up."  
  
"If you're sure." Said Wing.  
  
"Go on, get outta here." said Duke waving his hand.  
  
He headed back to Red's room while the others headed to home. He stood by the bed watching her for a while and then settled back into the chair.  
  
************************  
  
Red drifted into awareness and opened her eyes to see a hospital room. For a moment, memory eluded her and then they came flooding back. She looked around and saw Duke in a chair in the corner. He was fast asleep and looked like he had been there all night. She shifted her attention to her hands and was dismayed to see the bandages were still there and were not a bad dream like she had been hoping. Spying a glass of water on the bedside, she realized that she was thirsty and she tried to sit up.  
  
The movements woke Duke immediately. He was on his way to the side of the bed before she could say or do anything.  
  
"You need something?"  
  
"The water." She said hoarsely.  
  
Duke put his hands behind her back and helped her to sit up and then picked up the glass of water and held it out to her. She couldn't get a decent grip through the bandages so he held it to her lips and let her drink her fill. When she had finished, he put the glass down and propped her up on the pillows.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Pretty okay for someone that nearly barbecued themselves." She said wryly.  
  
Suddenly panic crossed her face and she looked up at him and demanded:  
  
"The photo, where is it?"  
  
"It's safe, I took it home."  
  
She visibly relaxed and Duke said curiously:  
  
"It must really mean a lot to you for you to risk going back into the fire for it."  
  
"It's priceless to me." She said simply. "Did you look at it?"  
  
"No."  
  
Red didn't say anything for a while, just looked down at her hands, unable to meet Duke's eye. The feelings running through her were things that she hadn't felt for a long time and she knew that she had to say something. Before she could, Duke blurted out what was on his mind.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
She looked at him incredulously and asked:  
  
"Sorry? Sorry for what? I was the one that nearly got you and your friends roasted."  
  
"But I led them to you."  
  
She looked puzzled and asked:  
  
"You know about them? The lizard-men?"  
  
"Yeah, we do."  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"They're called Saurians and they were responsible for wiping out almost all of our kind."  
  
Red was stunned at the statement and she sensed that it was far worse than the short description that he was giving her. She sat and thought about what she had just learned. She could see why they didn't want the rest of the earth knowing about the Saurians. Just one wrong news report and society would descend into raging chaos. She couldn't blame them for keeping their secrets when she was so full of her own.  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry for, even if it did sound like I blamed you earlier." She said softly. "Lizard men aside, I knew all the risks coming back here."  
  
Duke wanted to know more about the risks that she was talking about but didn't want to push her since he could see that her guards were down at the moment but she would put them up again at one wrong question. He decided to let it slide for the moment. There would be plenty of time later, after all - she wasn't going anywhere.  
  
"In fact," she continued. "I owe you."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"You made that Phil didn't worry about me. Sure you drove me up the wall, but as long as Phil's okay, I can get over it. He's lucky to have friends like you."  
  
Duke gave her a lopsided smile and said:  
  
"I didn't do it for Phil."  
  
She leaned further back into the pillows and said:  
  
"You didn't do it for me."  
  
"How do you know?" Duke could sense her defenses going up but wanted to press the issue. Maybe she would slip and give up some more information.  
  
"You don't know me."  
  
"I don't have to know you to know that you care about Phil and that makes you a friend."  
  
She narrowed her eyes and a feral look came over her face. Her tone went cold and she hissed:  
  
"Just because I seem to care about one person, doesn't mean that I'm friendly. You don't want to get close to me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's not safe for you."  
  
"Why not?" insisted Duke.  
  
"Are you forgetting what I am?" she said angrily.  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"I'm a killer."  
  
Duke stood quiet for a few seconds, deciding if he should push his luck. This was the longest conversation that he had managed to get out of her. He shrugged and said:  
  
"I'll take my chances."  
  
Red rolled her eyes and slid down the pillows. When she was lying down, she turned so that her back was to him. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk any more. He was about to go back to his chair when she whispered a reply to him.  
  
"Please, stay away from me. I like you and I don't want your blood on my hands." 


	24. The deal

Disclaimer: Ugh! Not mine.  
  
Chapter 24  
  
Red lay and watched the sun creep slowly into the room. After she had woken for the second time, a nurse had come in and disconnected her from the monitors so she could be more comfortable. She had flat out ignored Duke and he had retreated to the chair. By the sounds of his breathing, he had fallen asleep again and that was just what she was waiting for.  
  
She turned slightly and saw that her suspicions were confirmed - Duke was fast asleep. She carefully sat up and swung her legs out of the bed. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she had to hold onto the side of the bed for moment to get her balance back. She stared intently at Duke, making sure that she hadn't disturbed him and then she lowered herself to the floor and staggered over to the closet. Upon opening it she was relieved to find that they had kept her clothes from when they had stripped her down for surgery. She took them off of the hangers and slowly made her way to the bathroom, leaning heavily on the Iv pole for support.  
  
As she slid the door closed behind her, she missed Duke opening his eye and frowning.  
  
Red was so stiff that she felt like she had been put through a blender and the splints on her hands weren't helping. She unwrapped her hands and grimaced at the raw, weeping wounds that she uncovered. After the splints were off, she loosely wrapped her hands back up and then pulled the needle out of her arm. She struggled her way into her jeans and sweater and then shoved her feet into her sneakers, not bothering with laces or socks. She used the toilet, forwent washing her hands for obvious reasons and then went to the door that led into the adjacent room. She slid it open slowly, not wanting to disturb the occupant. She was in luck - the room was empty. She left the bathroom and paused in the doorway, trying to get her bearings on which way was out. She stepped into the hallway and turned right, straight into Duke, who was leaning against the wall out next to the doorway.  
  
"Goin' somewhere?" he asked mildly.  
  
* Busted! * She cringed, as she wondered if she had enough energy to make a run for it. Then she sighed as she allowed Duke to support her by the elbow and lead her back to her room. He firmly sat her in the chair and regarded her sternly. "Are you outta' your mind?"  
  
She looked up at him and asked:  
  
"Where's the bag that I tossed to you guys?"  
  
"What's that got to do with anything?"  
  
"Just answer me - is it safe?"  
  
"Yeah, it's at our place."  
  
She nodded slowly and then bit her lip. She looked uncomfortable for a moment and then said:  
  
"Can you bring it to me?"  
  
Duke shook his head and said:  
  
"You're in no condition to work right now. Phil will just have to wait."  
  
"He can't wait!" she exclaimed in an anguished tone. "I have to get this done. He's counting on me. I promised that I wouldn't let him down."  
  
She started to get up out of the chair and Duke bent down and put both hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Sit." He said gently. "You won't let him down. He already knows that you're here so he knows that he'll just have to sit tight for a while."  
  
"You don't understand." She started getting agitated. "I have finish the job and get outta here."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just do. If I'm still here when Phil gets out, he's going to be in danger."  
  
"Has this got something to do with Jack and those guys that attacked you?"  
  
She bit her lip again and then nodded slowly.  
  
"Yeah. That's why I have to get this job done, get Phil out and then bail outta the city."  
  
"With Jack hot on your heels I suppose." Smirked Duke.  
  
"That is the idea. If he already knows where I am, then he won't have to hurt Phil to draw me out."  
  
"What's stopping him from hurting Phil just to hurt you?"  
  
She sat very still for a moment and then exclaimed:  
  
"Oh shit!"  
  
Red looked so stricken that Duke realized that she hadn't thought of that. He silently cursed himself and tried to fix his blunder.  
  
"Look, as soon as Phil gets out we'll take him to our place. Believe me, no one can get to him there."  
  
Red was quiet for a few minutes while she digested the new information and then she turned to Duke.  
  
"You don't trust me and I don't trust anyone but I'll make you a deal."  
  
"I'm listenin'," said Duke leaning back against the wall.  
  
"Let me finish the job right now and get Phil cleared."  
  
"And what do we get outta the deal?"  
  
Red took a deep breath and said:  
  
"I'll answer any and all questions that you and your friends have."  
  
Duke regarded her for a long moment. He already knew how much her privacy meant to her and to give it up so that she could help a friend proved one thing to him - despite her attempts to prove otherwise, she was loyal to an almost fanatical sense and would do anything to keep a promise.  
  
"You got a deal." He nodded. "But you can only start working when they let you outta here."  
  
"When's that?"  
  
"A day or so."  
  
She nodded and then asked:  
  
"You and your friends seem pretty tight, shouldn't you talk this over with them before you make any deals?"  
  
"Nah," he shrugged. "I know what I'm doin'."  
  
"Really?" came a new voice from the doorway.  
  
The two turned and saw Mallory standing in the doorway, holding a tog bag. She sauntered into the room and then she scowled as she saw Red dressed. She turned to Duke and asked:  
  
"Doing a runner was she?"  
  
"She tried." He said with a shrug.  
  
"How far did she get?" smirked Mal.  
  
"Not far enough!" snapped Red, who didn't like being talked about like she wasn't there.  
  
"Peace!" said Mal with a smile. "If Duke was sitting with me, I might also want to do a runner."  
  
"Humph!" said Duke, pretending to be wounded. He pointed at the bag and asked:  
  
"What's in the bag?"  
  
"A cat - wanna let it out?" said Mal pertly.  
  
Duke rolled his eye, it was obvious that Mal was in a good mood. He wondered why it seemed to follow on the heels of a night of very little sleep. Then he wondered why he was trying to figure out Mal's moods.  
  
"Earth to Duke." Called Mal, waving a hand in front of him. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"Nothin' important." He said with a shrug.  
  
"Well take it outside while Red changes." She ordered, pointing at the door.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Said Duke, ripping off a half assed salute.  
  
Mal grinned as he left and closed the door behind him. Then she turned to Red and the smile vanished.  
  
"What is wrong with you? Do you want to make your injuries worse?"  
  
Red said nothing, just continued staring at her feet. She wasn't used to people caring what she did and the concern that she was getting from them was unnerving.  
  
* It's not like they're my friends or something. * She thought to herself. * They aren't even the same species! *  
  
Mal could see that she wasn't going to get an answer out of her and decided to let it slide. She placed the bag on the bed and turned back to Red.  
  
"I brought some pajama's since all they give you here is that thing that lets your backside hang out."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You need help getting into them or can I trust you to go into the bathroom alone and come back out?"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere." She said curtly, rising stiffly from the chair. "I made a deal."  
  
"With Duke?"  
  
"Yeah, is that a problem?" she was getting defensive now, not wanting to explain her actions or reasons.  
  
"No." Mal shook her head. "I just thought that you didn't trust anyone. Why make a deal with someone you don't trust?"  
  
"I trust me." She snapped. "And when I give my word, I stick by it."  
  
"Okay, calm down." Said Mal soothingly. "You know, you really have to lighten up with people. I'm just trying to be friends."  
  
Red picked up the bag and started into the bathroom. As she slid the door shut she turned back to Mal and said:  
  
"Reserve judgment on the friends issue until you have all the facts. You'll be glad you did." 


	25. Introductions

Disclaimer: Not mine, blah blah blah.  
  
Chapter 24  
  
Phil watched the sun rise and was grateful that he wasn't sharing a cell with anyone. He had been woken up in the middle of the night and taken to the interview room where Wing had quickly told him what had happened to Red. Since then he had not slept since he was too involved with blaming himself for not warning her about the Saurians. Then he thought about blaming the ducks since they said that they would be keeping an eye on her. Then he gave it up because he knew that short of her being in the base under the Pond, nothing would have kept the Saurians away from her. He was just grateful that nothing too serious had happened to her.  
  
He wondered if she was having any luck with finding evidence. The clock was ticking and there wasn't a lot of time left.  
  
Back at the hospital:  
  
After changing Red had climbed back into bed and allowed the nurse to wrap her hands properly. She had put up such a fight against the splints that they had left them off. She was toying with her breakfast when Duke came back into the room.  
  
"I'm gonna take off with Mal and we'll be back later."  
  
"Sure." She said with a shrug.  
  
"Is there anything that you need, besides the stuff for Phil?"  
  
"Just my photo please."  
  
"Sure." He nodded. "I'll see you later."  
  
He left her alone and she gave up trying to pretend to eat. She pushed the tray down to the bottom of the bed and curled up under the covers. Memories crowded in, unbidden and she was powerless to push them away. Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep, peppered with dreams and memories twisted within each other.  
  
At the Pond:  
  
Duke flopped out full length on his bunk and was asleep within three heartbeats. He had already told Wing about the deal and had asked him to wake him later that afternoon so he could go back and take Red's things to her.  
  
Mal was sitting cross-legged on Tanya's bed listening as she described her date with Grin. She smiled and told her about Grin coming to ask her advice. Tanya laughed gently and confessed:  
  
"And I was worried that he was more interested in you."  
  
"Nah." Said Mal with a grin. "I mean he's a sweetie but he's not my type."  
  
"And your type would be?" asked Tanya slyly.  
  
"Well," said Mal slowly. "I always was a sucker for the brooding type."  
  
Tanya thought for a moment and then decided to get a rise out of her friend.  
  
"I didn't realize you felt that way about him. Won't his background be a problem?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I mean the criminal record will just look weird next to your military one."  
  
"Arrgh!" growled Mal as she tossed a pillow at Tanya's head. "Not Duke, Wing!"  
  
Tanya dodged the pillow and laughed.  
  
"I know, I know. I'm just pulling your leg."  
  
"I'm swearing you to secrecy." Said Mal sternly. "If Dive ever found out, I'd never live it down."  
  
"My lips are sealed girlfriend."  
  
Just then there was a knock at the door and Mal and Tanya looked at each other for a moment in panic. The doors weren't exactly soundproof and who knew what the person on the other side could have heard. Tanya called out:  
  
"Come in."  
  
The door slid open to reveal Wing. He didn't look like he had heard anything and Mal breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Yeah Wing?" asked Tanya.  
  
"I was going down to see Phil again and I was wondering if anyone wanted to come with me."  
  
"I have to run a diagnostic in the lab." Said Tanya with a frown.  
  
"I'll come." Said Mal.  
  
"Okay. Meet me in the garage and we'll grab a bite to eat on the way back."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Wing left and the door closed behind him. Mal fell back on the bed and groaned.  
  
"That was too close for comfort."  
  
Tanya chuckled and said:  
  
"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"  
  
"There doesn't seem to be a right time." said Mal scowling. "Every time I think about telling him, something happens and I get sidetracked."  
  
"Sounds to me like someone needs a taste of their own medicine."  
  
"Don't even think about setting me up with him." Warned Mal.  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it." Protested Tanya a little too innocently.  
  
"Anyway, I have to get to the garage. I'll see you later."  
  
"Later"  
  
Mal left Tanya's room and rushed to her own room where she snatched up her purse and sprayed a quick squirt of perfume on her throat. Then she rushed out to the garage where Wing was just opening the garage door. She slid into the passenger seat and waited for him to join her. He got in and immediately buckled up his seatbelt. She did the same and they set off to the police holding cells.  
  
Mal looked up as they went and she saw that the sky was still patchy with clouds. She guessed that they would be getting more rain later that day and she was glad. The rain would make it cooler and that was always a good thing since she still found the earth's heat a little uncomfortable, even after a year or more.  
  
While he was waiting for a traffic light to change, Wing studied Mal in as she watched the sky. He was fascinated by the way her eyes shone with delight as she watched the clouds and he knew that she was welcoming the coolness that the rain would bring. Unbidden, feelings of tenderness rose up in his chest, startling him.  
  
Was he falling for Mallory?  
  
* Is that such a bad thing? * He asked himself.  
  
The two continued their trip in companionable silence and then they were at the holding cells. They got out, signed in and waited for Phil to be brought to them. They didn't wait long and soon they were staring at the retina searing orange jumpsuit.  
  
"Hey Phil, how you doing?" asked Mal gently.  
  
"I'm keeping my head above water." He said slowly. "I just hope it isn't for nothing."  
  
"It won't be." Said Wing. "Red said that she's close to finishing."  
  
"You said that she's in the hospital."  
  
"You really think that a little thing like that would stop her?" scoffed Mal.  
  
"She made a deal with Duke," said Wing.  
  
He explained that as soon as he was released, Phil would have to stay in the base with the team until they could think of a way to neutralize the threat of Jack.  
  
Phil was surprised when he heard what she had offered in trade and he knew that it had cost her a great deal of pride. He smiled wryly and said:  
  
"That sounds like her. How is she?"  
  
"She's okay and will make a full recovery." Said Wing. "There's nothing for you to worry about."  
  
"I guess not." Nodded Phil. "Now tell me what happened with the press?"  
  
Wing and Mal brought Phil up to date with all the events of the last two days and then the visiting time was over.  
  
They said goodbye and left the building. As they got into the car, Wing turned to Mal.  
  
"So where do you want to get lunch?"  
  
"Anywhere with sea food." She said. "Unless you fancy something different?"  
  
"Nope, seafood's fine with me."  
  
He started the car and headed back into town, the mall being his destination. The sky had noticeably darkened and he hoped that they managed to park before the rain started. Just because he was duck, didn't mean he liked getting wet. He just pulled into the parking lot when fat drops started to splatter on the windscreen.  
  
"Looks like we're going to have to make a run for it." He said, turning to Mal.  
  
"I'm game." She shrugged.  
  
They dashed across the tarmac and got under cover just as the rain started getting heavier. They looked at each other and grinned. Then they headed inside towards the food court. Mal managed to do a bit of window shopping before they reached their destination but it didn't really bother Wing. He kind of liked watching her smile as she saw something that she liked.  
  
"Earth to Wing?" asked Mal.  
  
"Huh?" he asked, jolted out of his inner thoughts.  
  
"You must be tired as Duke." She teased. "You're zoning out just like him."  
  
They headed inside the restaurant and the waiter led them to a booth near the back.  
  
"Yeah, I am little tired." He confessed.  
  
"Me too." She nodded as they slid into the booth.  
  
They quickly scanned the menus and placed their orders. Mal leaned back against the padded backrest and said:  
  
"I know we haven't been playing matches lately but I sure hope we can have a break before we get back into the game."  
  
"I know what you mean." Said Wing. "With all this drama, none of us are getting any rest. Maybe I should hold off practices for a few days."  
  
"No." said Mal firmly. "We still need to keep practicing, at least once a day."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." He nodded.  
  
They continued with small talk about past games and the things that they had seem in the shops on the way to the restaurant. They were purposely avoiding all mention of Red or Phil or anything to do with them. They were enjoying each others company and didn't stop talking, even when the food arrived.  
  
They were still talking when Wing's watch alarm went off and he frowned. Then he opened his com and called up Duke.  
  
Mal listened to this side of the conversation while she drained her soda.  
  
"Duke, you awake?"  
  
"Okay. See you soon."  
  
He flipped the com closed and then turned back to Mal with a wry smile.  
  
"Time to get back to reality huh?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah. I guess it is."  
  
They settled the bill and left the mall, making their way through the throngs of people towards the exit. Everyone that they could see was wet and Mal guessed that it was still raining. She was proven right when they stopped at the door and looked out. The rain was coming down so hard that it looked like someone had hung a silvery curtain in front of them. Wing turned to her and said:  
  
"Wait here and I'll go get the car."  
  
"But you'll be soaked!" she exclaimed.  
  
"That's okay. Rather me than you." He said with a smile. "Now wait."  
  
He dashed off while Mal smiled and said to herself:  
  
* Always the hero. *  
  
He soon pulled up alongside the curb and she slid in hurriedly. He shifted into gear and they were soon on their way home.  
  
*************  
  
Back at the hospital:  
  
Red was scowling at the TV mounted in a wall bracket when Duke and Dive walked into the room.  
  
"Jeez Sweetheart," said Duke. "I didn't think daytime TV was so bad."  
  
"I told you not to call me that." She growled, switching the TV off and tossing the remote on the nightstand.  
  
"Habit." He grinned unrepentantly.  
  
"He still calls me kid." Groused Dive, hoping to draw her out some.  
  
"You are a kid." She said.  
  
"No fair!" exclaimed Dive. "Two against one."  
  
"The majority rules kid." Smirked Duke.  
  
"Humph." Pouted Dive but Red could see his eyes twinkling with merriment.  
  
Duke lifted a bag and put it on the bed. It was the same one that Red had tossed out of her apartment. She felt a sense of relief when she saw it.  
  
"Thanks." She said. "I wanna get this done."  
  
"I also brought this." Said Duke, pulling the picture out from inside his coat.  
  
Her smile lit up her entire face and Duke was determined to get a look at the picture.  
  
* It must be important to make her smile like that! * He thought.  
  
But she surprised him when she asked:  
  
"You guys wanna see it?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
She beckoned them closer and turned the photo over so that they could see it.  
  
It was of three people standing in front of a nice house. Two adults, a man and a woman were standing side by side and the man had his arm around a young boy. The boy had the same colour hair as Red and now he could see where he got it from. The woman had bright red hair while the man had dark auburn hair. Combined, they two colours would make up the very unusual shade seen on Red and the boy.  
  
"Your family?" he asked gently.  
  
"Yeah." She said quietly. "It's the only picture left with all of us together."  
  
Dive was puzzled and said:  
  
"But I don't see you."  
  
"Look carefully." She said with a smile.  
  
Dive looked again and then he saw that the woman was heavily pregnant. He looked up and said:  
  
"You're not born yet."  
  
"Not yet." She smiled. "But less than four hours after this photo was taken, I came into the world."  
  
"Is that your brother?" asked Dive.  
  
"Yes. His name was Raymond."  
  
She went quiet and Duke could see that the subject was unsettling her and he decided to change it.  
  
"Is there anything that you need to do the work?"  
  
"Just a notepad and a pencil. The laptop is still in there right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then just the paper and pencil."  
  
"I'll get that from the gift shop." Said Dive. "Be right back."  
  
He darted out of the room and Red gave Duke a puzzled look.  
  
"Is he always that energetic?"  
  
"Yeah. Unless he's just woken up."  
  
"Figures."  
  
They sat in silence since Red didn't do small talk and Duke didn't know quite what to say without setting her off. He watched her as she traced the lines of her brother's face on the glass of the photo and he almost missed what she said next:  
  
"Rhiannon." She whispered.  
  
"Excuse me?" he asked. "I didn't quite catch that."  
  
It had been so long since she had said her own name, it felt strange coming off her tongue and she wondered if she had mispronounced it.  
  
"Rhiannon." She said again.  
  
"And that is?" asked a puzzled Duke.  
  
"Me."  
  
Duke was still for a moment and then extended a hand towards her.  
  
"Duke L'Orange," he smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you Rhiannon."  
  
She gently shook his hand and then looked past him to see Dive at the door, holding a plastic bag. He had obviously heard their conversation.  
  
"Do I get a formal introduction too?" he asked shyly.  
  
She beckoned him closer and he held out his hand.  
  
"Nosedive."  
  
"Rhiannon."  
  
They carefully shook hands and then Dive handed her the bag.  
  
"I think this is what you wanted."  
  
She peered inside and nodded.  
  
"It's fine thanks."  
  
"So now what?" asked Dive.  
  
"Now," said Red, pulling the tog bag closer. "You guys are going to get outta here while I start this."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Duke. "You're not fully recovered."  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
"We'll see you later."  
  
"Sure." She mumbled, her mind already wrapped up in figures.  
  
The two mallards left the room while she started to scribble frantically on the notepad. She ignored the sharp flash of pain as the delicate crust on her burnt hands broke and carried on writing, unaware of the crimson stain spreading across the bandages. 


	26. Gotcha!

Disclaimer:  
  
Chapter 26  
  
Down in the basement, he finished stoking the fire and opened the grate on the furnace. The heat boiled out and he had to shield his face for a moment. Then he grabbed a file and began to frantically stuff its contents into the flames. He watched as it blackened and disintegrated into ashes. Then he grabbed another file and sent it the same way. The smell of burning paper filled the air and he coughed but doggedly continued until the pile of files was nothing but a heap of ash inside the furnace.  
  
*************  
  
That evening found Wing and Duke walking down the hallway of the hospital. They had decided to come and see how far Red had gotten with the evidence. As they neared her room, they could see one of the nurses going out with a tray of equipment and they exchanged puzzled glances. Increasing the pace, they arrived at the door in time to hear the doctor admonishing Red, who sat on the edge of the bed, wearing street clothes and an unrepentant look on her face.  
  
"What were you doing?" he asked firmly. "You realize that this can cause scarring and possibly further damage? And where do you think you were going?"  
  
Red said nothing and he sighed and continued to wrap her hands up. The burns had split open and were now bleeding and raw. To keep them motile, he had first wrapped them in petroleum netting and was now bandaging them, leaving the first joint of her fingers peeking out.  
  
Red wasn't feeling up to talking, in fact she was seething. After working the whole afternoon and part of the evening, her shoulders and neck were so tight, she felt like an over wound clock. She was done though, all she had left to do was to get out of here and go see her contact, and then Phil would be out. She was on her way out when the doctor had spotted her and brought her back to the room, where he discovered her hands. She heard footsteps in the doorway and groaned inwardly when a now familiar voice asked:  
  
"What is she up to now Doc?"  
  
The doctor turned at Dukes question and said:  
  
"She's been busy with who knows what, has opened all the wounds on her hands and was trying to sneak out of here with that."  
  
He pointed to a folder on the end of the bed. Wing picked it up and leafed through it. It was the analysis of the accounts and almost every page was smeared with blood. He handed it to Duke who took it and raised an eyebrow at the crimson stains. He put it back and turned to the doctor.  
  
"How bad is the damage?"  
  
"Not too bad but now it is going to take longer for the wounds to heal since they've been disturbed."  
  
"I'll be fine." Muttered Red. "I don't need all this fussing."  
  
The doctor opened his mouth to say something when Wing put a hand on his arm with a look that said: We'll handle this.  
  
He nodded and left the room, taking the tray of dressings with him. Red immediately stood up and got her coat out of the closet.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked an incredulous Wing.  
  
"What does it look like?" she snapped as she bent under the bed, looking for her sneakers.  
  
"It looks like you're about to do somethin' stupid." Said Duke.  
  
She stood up clutching her shoes and scowled at him. Wing came up to her and put his hand out.  
  
"You can't go now." He said gently. "You're injured and exhausted and I can't let you go running off now."  
  
"Watch me." She hissed trying to ignore the waves of weakness that were beginning to crash over her.  
  
She dodged around him and walked smack into Duke who neatly plucked her shoes out of her hands. She tried to snatch them back but he held them out of her reach. She growled with frustration and then decided to go without shoes. She tried to go around him when her coat was tugged out from under her arm by Wing.  
  
She stood in between the two drakes and glared at one and then the other. Duke looked back with a raised eyebrow and Wing just smiled. She realized that she wasn't going anywhere and she gave in to the fatigue and felt her shoulders slump and her body droop. She hung her head and watched as Wing's feet got closer.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"Sure." She said faintly. "Just tired all of a sudden."  
  
He tossed her coat onto the chair and helped her get back into the bed. Her head was spinning and she struggled to make out what Duke was saying to Wing. She gave up trying and lay back against the pillows, trying to make the room stop spinning.  
  
Wing came up alongside the bed and looked at her pale face. He knew that she was trying to push past the limits of her endurance and if not stopped, would make herself very ill. He looked up as Duke came back with the doctor.  
  
Red felt the doc lift her arm and take her pulse. Then she felt a cold wetness and before she could react, the sting of a needle. Her eyes flew open and she looked up as he withdrew the needle and put a plaster over the puncture site. She struggled to sit up and then slumped back as all the strength rushed out of her limbs. She looked up at him and he said soothingly:  
  
"It's a sedative. I know that the moment we leave you alone, you'll be out of here and I don't want you injuring yourself further. Now sleep, you'll feel better in the morning."  
  
He patted her arm and then left her with the two drakes. Duke came up on the other side of the bed and said to her:  
  
"You can't save Phil by killing yourself Red. You've already paid for his freedom with your blood."  
  
"Blood is all I have to pay my debts." She whispered helplessly.  
  
She had more to say but before she could speak, the tide of blackness crashed over her and swept her out into the sea of oblivion.  
  
*************************  
  
The evening passed uneventfully (for a change) and the ducks rose with a renewed sense of purpose and energy. They had a vigorous morning practice and then a good breakfast. While Dive and Mal were doing the dishes, Wing was in the ready room with Tanya, trying to figure out Dragonus's next move. "I don't think he's gonna do anything until the case with Phil goes to court." Said Tanya. "Then he's probably got some more 'evidence' that he's gonna use to muddy up the waters some more."  
  
"It makes sense." Nodded Wing. "I just don't want to get caught with our pants down."  
  
"Yeah," said Dive as he came in, having finished with the dishes. "Imagine having those plastered across the six o'clock news."  
  
"Not a pretty thought at all." Added Mal as she came up behind Dive. "So what are we going to do?"  
  
"We stick to the plan." Said Wing. "We let Red give up the evidence and get Phil off the hook. It doesn't matter what Dragonus throws at us then, we're already free and clear."  
  
"Let's hope she's as good as she claims." Said Mal darkly. "I don't exactly like trusting our fate to someone who has so many 'issues'."  
  
"We'll find out today." Said Duke, who had come in from the other door. He joined them on the platform by Drake 1. "She finished with the files last night."  
  
"Are we all ready?" asked Wing as he looked around. Only Grin wasn't there as it was his turn to refuel the Migrator. "Then lets get moving before Red goes and tries something stupid again."  
  
They filed out into the garage and soon they arrived at the hospital. The girls stayed behind in the waiting area with Duke and Grin while Dive and Wing went to fetch her. They found her dressed and ready to go. The doctor was also there, shaking his head in frustration.  
  
"I still say that you need more rest." He was insisting.  
  
"I can rest when I'm dead." Said Red with a shrug. "Meanwhile, I have a job to do."  
  
He turned to the ducks and asked helplessly:  
  
"Can't you do anything?"  
  
"All we can do is make sure that she takes it easy." Said Wing. "Don't worry, we'll have our team's medical officer keep an eye on her."  
  
"Oh well, on your head then." He said to Red and handed over her discharge papers.  
  
She grinned in satisfaction at his retreating back and then let it fade as she faced the brothers.  
  
"You like winding people up don't you?" asked Dive.  
  
"Of course I do." She said unashamedly. "It's too much fun not to."  
  
"It can't win you many friends though." Said Wing thoughtfully.  
  
"Who needs friends?" she scoffed. "They just make things complicated."  
  
Wing had heard just about enough of hearing her stand-alone attitude and he lashed out with a sarcastic comment before he thought about it.  
  
"And is that what Phil is?" he asked. "A complication in your otherwise smooth life?"  
  
Red didn't answer him but the look that she sent his way said everything. He knew that he shouldn't have said what he did. It was obvious from the start that she cared immensely about Phil.  
  
She snatched up her things and stomped out of the room leaving a stunned Dive and a remorseful Wing. They looked at each other and hurriedly followed her.  
  
Red stalked down the corridor and straight past the other team members. She didn't wait for them and carried on towards the elevators. She could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears and battled to get them to go away before anyone saw them.  
  
* How could he ask such a thing? * She screamed to herself. * Phil means everything to me. Apart from Willy, he's all the family I have. *  
  
She heard the others come up behind her and ignored them. Wing wondered if he should apologize but the glint in her eyes made him reconsider. Rather wait until she calmed down a bit, if that was possible.  
  
They rode in silence down to the lobby and Red was discharged within a few minutes. With her still leading she made her way out of the building and stood still for a moment, enjoying the fresh air of her face. The clouds had scattered somewhat during the night but there was still a promise of more rain.  
  
"So what now?" asked Mal, impatient to get going.  
  
"I have to make a phone call." She said. "This has to be handed over to someone."  
  
"Use mine." Said Grin handing her his cell.  
  
She took it and dialed the number. After a moment the person on the other end answered and the ducks listened to their end of the conversation.  
  
(For interest's sake, I have added the other person in with *)  
  
"Heya Tony!" said Red enthusiastically. "How are you?"  
  
* Red, my word, I thought you were dead. How did, never mind, how are you? *  
  
"Good, good. Listen, I gotta fish for you."  
  
* Let me guess, it's your friend in the paper. *  
  
"Yeah, the public one."  
  
* I can take a look at it. *  
  
"You have to do it double quick though."  
  
* Red, you of all people should know an audit takes time. *  
  
"I've done all the work already."  
  
* And how did you manage to get all the information? *  
  
"Do you really want to know?"  
  
* Ah, no. Thank heavens this is the anonymous tip line. *  
  
"So you going to do it for me?"  
  
* Bring it to me and we'll have it in by the PM. *  
  
"Tony, you're a prince. How's your mama?"  
  
* Still trying to feed me every time I go there. *  
  
"Don't be an ingrate."  
  
* I know, I'm lucky. See you soon. *  
  
"In like ten minutes so keep the coffee warm."  
  
* Cheers. *  
  
Red rang off and handed the cell back to Grin.  
  
"So now what?" asked Wing.  
  
"Now, I have to get across town to the office of a VERY good friend of mine." Said Red with a grin. "He's the one that's going to spring Phil and stick it to the REAL culprit."  
  
"And how is he going to do that?" asked Tanya. "The evidence that you have is illegally gathered and wont stand up in court."  
  
"It will if it's submitted by the right people." Smirked Red.  
  
"And they are?" asked Duke.  
  
"Ever heard of the IRS?" laughed Red.  
  
"Isn't that the 'tax man' that everyone's so scared of?" asked Mal. "Including Phil."  
  
"Yeah." Nodded Red.  
  
"Well," said Wing. "We'll drive you there and then see what happens."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Red gave him directions and they boarded the Migrator. She was fascinated by the high tech designs and spent the entire trip talking about engines with Tanya. When they arrived, they took the elevator to the appropriate floor and she led them down the hallway. When she reached the door that she was looking for, she proceeded to kick rhythmically on it until it was wrenched open.  
  
""Red!" he exclaimed. "You remembered our tune."  
  
She grinned at the obviously Italian man that had opened the door and said:  
  
"And why would I forget? I had to tap it out almost every morning for a year."  
  
He led them into the office and motioned them over to the sofa that stood in the corner. Mal, Tanya and Dive sat on the couch while Grin sat cross- legged on the floor. Wing and Red sat at the main desk and Duke lounged against the wall on Red's side. Tony took a seat on his side of the desk and looked around at his crowded office. Questions poured out of him.  
  
"Where have you been for the past two years? What happened to your hands? Can I get you and your friends anything to drink? Is that the file that you want me to look at?"  
  
"Slow down!" laughed Red. "In answer to your questions: none of your business. It's a long story. Coffee and Danish will be great. Yes, this is it."  
  
There was silence for a moment and then Tony burst out laughing.  
  
"I missed you Red."  
  
"Yeah, me too." She said in a strained tone. "Now, let's get on with it. First, coffee – you guys want anything?"  
  
Tony took the various orders from the team and passed it along to his assistant. Then he took the file from Red and started reading. He was about halfway through when there was a familiar rhythmic tapping at the door. Grin hopped up and opened the door. In walked a young girl laden with coffee cups and bags of various pastries. Without batting an eye she unloaded on the desk and walked out, closing the door behind her.  
  
Wing distributed the refreshments and everyone enjoyed while Tony continued reading, sipping absently at his coffee every now and then.  
  
They were just about done when Tony flung the file down and beamed at Red.  
  
She sat up and asked tightly:  
  
"So there's enough there to get him?"  
  
"Oh you got him alright." He grinned.  
  
"This guy's pretty savvy, what if he's destroyed the evidence since Phil's been nabbed?"  
  
"We'll get it through the other partner. Don't worry, this is airtight."  
  
"So when will you put the report in to the auditors?"  
  
"Right now."  
  
With that, Tony proceeded to pick up the phone and call the court appointed auditors that were investigating Phil. He had a short conversation with them and then called his assistant over the intercom. She came in and he handed the file to her.  
  
"Jacky, stop whatever you're doing and type this up. Then fax copies to Peabody and Son's and the legal department."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Red watched her leave with the work that was her blood and sweat. She then listened as Tony was talking with the legal department.  
  
"Yes, I want search and seizure papers for the office, home and the silent partner, an arrest warrant and a lawyer ready at the holding cells."  
  
He put down the phone and looked at Red with a serious expression.  
  
"You have blown the lid off a pretty big plot here and I hope you know that it isn't over yet."  
  
"I know, but I just want Phil out of jail. The lawyers can thrash it out from there."  
  
"Well, you'll have him out by this evening."  
  
"Thanks Tony, I mean it, you're a real prince."  
  
She reached over and shook his hand and then looked at Wing.  
  
"I need a lift then I'm outta your hair until Phil gets back."  
  
"Where to?"  
  
"His office at the Pond."  
  
"We'll be there as well. We have an afternoon practice."  
  
She said goodbye to Tony and then they left the office. The drive back to the Pond was short and uneventful. As they neared the gates they could see the police patrol was still there, keeping the press at bay. They entered through the main doors, not wanting to reveal any of their underground base to any watching eyes.  
  
Wing wasn't sure if he wanted to let Red know exactly where they were going to stash Phil, but knowing how much she cared about him, she would probably make trouble until she knew. Besides, if there was one thing that he was sure of, she knew how to keep a secret.  
  
They headed towards the change rooms and passed Magnus on his way to his office.  
  
"Hi guys." He said. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"It's difficult but we're okay." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah." He agreed sympathetically. "It's always hard when someone you think you know turns out bad."  
  
"Phil's not bad!" exclaimed Dive. "Sure he's one of the most irritating people on the planet but he isn't a criminal."  
  
"An' I would know." Added Duke knowingly.  
  
"I'm sorry guys." Said Magnus. "The auditor's called. They've found more evidence and they want a meeting this afternoon. It's looking really bad."  
  
"We can always hope." Said Tanya.  
  
"Yes, we can always hope." He agreed sadly.  
  
He left them standing in the corridor and disappeared into his office. The team shared a look and then Wing looked at Red who had been hiding behind Grin.  
  
"You don't think..." he trailed off.  
  
She lifted a finger to her lips and her eyes sparkled with suppressed glee.  
  
"Don't spoil the surprise for him." She whispered.  
  
"But how..." began Mal.  
  
"I'll explain later. Let's just act natural and get moving."  
  
They left her at the ring while they changed for practice. She had been watching them skate around for the better part of two hours when she heard the doors open behind her. She turned around and saw Tony coming down to the ice, trailed by two policemen and two men from the auditors. She turned back to the ice and whistled to catch the duck's attention.  
  
As soon as they spotted Tony, they stopped practice and came off the ice.  
  
Tony held up an envelope and Red grinned.  
  
"Can I please do this?" she asked in an eager tone.  
  
"He's all yours."  
  
She led the way to Magnus's office and knocked lightly on the door.  
  
"Come in." he called. 


	27. Party time

Disclaimer: Haven't you forgotten me yet? Not mine!  
  
A/N: Hi there! I know that this chapter is horribly late but things are just getting more and more complicated here in the real world. I humbly beg your apologies and hope that you like this latest offering. Unfortunately it is short and I want to warn you in advance that things are going to get dark from the next chapter onwards.  
  
Chapter 27  
  
Red pushed open the door and slowly walked up to the desk. Warily, Magnus watched her approach. She placed the documents on the blotter in front of him and then without warning, backhanded him across the face.  
  
He raised a hand to his rapidly reddening cheek and stared at her, shock dancing in his eyes. She glared at him and then hissed:  
  
"I know what you did Magnus. Did you really think that you'd get away with it?"  
  
"I..." he started but she cut him off.  
  
"Stifle, I don't wanna hear it. He trusted you and now I have to break that illusion to him. You're lower than a snake's shadow at noon."  
  
With that parting remark she turned on her heel and stalked out of the office, pushing humans and ducks alike out of her way. Tony and the officers came into the office and took custody of the subdued Magnus. He said nothing as they led him out of the building and into the parking lot. As they were getting him into the car, Dive couldn't contain himself any longer.  
  
"Why?" He burst out. "How could you do this?"  
  
Magnus just gave him a sad look and got into the back of the car. The officer closed the door and within seconds, the car was out of the lot and turning the corner.  
  
Tony turned to Wing and said:  
  
"Phil will be out in a couple of hours. They have to process the arrest of Magnus first and then they'll let him out. I have already sent someone to be there to pick him up and bring him back here."  
  
"Thank you." Answered Wing. "We're really grateful for all the help."  
  
"Don't thank me." Said Tony shaking his head. "Thank Red. She did all the work on this."  
  
Wing looked at Red who was leaning against the wall. She returned his stare and asked:  
  
"What?"  
  
"Than..." started Wing.  
  
"Shut it." She snapped, cutting him off in mid sentence. "I don't need or want your thanks."  
  
She bounced herself off of the wall and said:  
  
"I'll be at the Nail. Call me when Phil gets here."  
  
With that, she walked to the gate and hailed a cab.  
  
"I guess we'll see her later." Quipped Dive.  
  
The team headed back underground to get things ready for when Phil came home. A party was in order and they had plans to make. They figured that while he was staying with them, he would need a few more things from his apartment and Wing and Mal went to get them while Dive and Grin volunteered to get some food for the celebration. That left Tanya and Duke on clean up detail.  
  
They had decided to hold the party above the base, in an unused storage area of the arena, as they didn't want just anyone seeing their underground base. The room had some trash lying around and needed a good therapy session with a broom. He and Tanya got stuck in and were working in companionable silence.  
  
Duke was grateful for the time, as he was thinking deeply about Red's abrupt departure. He didn't think that she had always been that way. It was almost as if she was using her bad attitude to keep people away from her. He didn't know why yet but he figured that once he had heard her story, he would be able to work out the rest from there. He wondered why he even cared since he doubted that she wouldn't be sticking around but he knew better than to ignore his instincts, even though they seemed to be steering him straight in her direction.  
  
"Hey, earth to Duke?"  
  
Tanya's voice jolted him out of his musings and he looked up at her.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You've been leaning against that broom for a straight three minutes." She said with concern. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah sweetheart," he grinned. "Just thinkin' though the last coupla' days y'know."  
  
"Yeah." She agreed. "I'm just glad that it's all over."  
  
The two got back to work and soon had the place spotless and ready for the celebrations.  
  
Dive had promised to bring out the stereo and play DJ for the evening. While he and Grin were stocking up on the food, they were trying to decide which CD's they should use.  
  
As much as he hated to do it, Wing let the press know of the new developments and the party was for their benefit as well as Phil's. Mal was not thrilled with the idea and said as much.  
  
"I know." He agreed after the fourth straight complaint from her. "But if he knew about the party, he probably would have invited them himself."  
  
"They're just so annoying and will probably have ten thousand questions." She griped.  
  
"We'll have a short press conference before the party and then we'll have the doors closed." He said soothingly. "We have to let everyone know that Phil's innocent and I can't think of a better way to announce it."  
  
"You're right" she grudgingly agreed. "But I can't garuntee their safety."  
  
Wing chuckled and finished packing the suitcase that held Phil's personal items.  
  
Meanwhile, Red was busy counting the stock in the storeroom of the Nail, a process that was somewhat hampered by the bandages on her hands. She had refused to serve the patrons, as she didn't want anyone telling Jack that she was back there. As much as she liked a good rumble, she wasn't in the mood for him. There would be plenty of time for that later. She wasn't too thrilled with the idea of having a party with the ducks either but if it meant that she got to see Phil, then she could grin and bear it. She heard someone clear their throat and she turned to see Willy standing in the doorway with a towel over his arm and a bottle of shampoo in his hands. The first aid box stood next to him.  
  
"Ugh. "she groaned. "Not now, I'm not finished."  
  
"You shouldn't be doing this in the first place." He admonished gently. "Now come on or else we're going to be late."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She groused.  
  
She followed him out of the store and into his office. There, she climbed the stairs into the loft that Willy liked to call home. He disappeared towards the bathroom while she lounged on the sofa and toyed with a potted plant until he called her.  
  
"Tub's ready."  
  
She sauntered into the bathroom and accepted Willy's help to undress. He aided her into the tub and she leaned back while he lathered up her hair.  
  
"You are so lucky I like you." She said.  
  
"And here I was thinking it was my tastes that let you feel safe." Smirked Willy as he rinsed the shampoo away.  
  
"Hey," she shrugged. "Each person to their own drummer. Some days I think you have it easier than the other guys."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"At least when you get involved, it's with someone of your own gender and you get passable success. You don't have to try and solve the mystery that is woman. Hell, I don't understand women and I'm one of them!"  
  
Willy chuckled and continued to wash her down. When she was done, he wrapped her in his bathrobe and she sat down at the dining room table where he proceeded to unwrap her hands. He pulled a face at the wounds. She looked at them and shrugged. He cleaned them up and rebandaged them. Then he took a look at the gash on her temple.  
  
"Looks like the stitches can come out."  
  
He snipped the stitches and pulled them out gently. Then he rubbed some ointment in and stepped back to survey the damage. Red scowled at him and said:  
  
"It's fine Willy."  
  
"It made a small scar."  
  
"Hey," she said gently. "It's fine. It's not like my face was going to win any awards anyway."  
  
Willy pulled a face and packed up the medical supplies that he had used. Red got up and wandered to the bedroom where she started picking through his clothes.  
  
"What do you think?" she called out to him. "The green jogging suit or the tartan golfing pants?"  
  
"Higher, higher." Said Tanya breathlessly.  
  
"Lower man, lower."  
  
"How 'bout we just staple it to the wall?" grumbled Duke.  
  
"There, it has achieved balance with itself."  
  
Wing and Mal exchanged looks at the strange conversation that was taking place between Duke, Tanya, Grin and Dive. They came cautiously into the room, not sure on what they were going to see.  
  
Tanya and Dive were each wobbling on top of a ladder while holding up a corner of a large banner while Duke and Grin were tying it in place. The banner read: WELCOME BACK PHIL!  
  
"Nice touch guys." Said Wing approvingly.  
  
"Thank you." Said Dive, taking a bow from his precarious perch on top of the ladder. He nimbly jumped down and folded up the ladder and stowed it in the corner. Tanya let Grin take care of hers. They stood and took a look around; satisfied that everything was in place. There were two tables with food and drink on them and another table with sound equipment on it.  
  
Wing nodded and said:  
  
"Looks like we're all set. Time for a shower and then the people'll be here."  
  
They crowded into the elevator and headed down to get ready for the party. 


	28. Homecoming

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks and all other Disney characters do not belong to me and I make nothing off of this story.  
  
A/N: We're on the home stretch people and I am so grateful that you have stuck by me all this time. By the way – Sip Poker is not spelled wrong. They are not Stripping every time they lose, they are Sipping. You also have to drink when you are caught bluffing. It's hilarious!  
  
Chapter 28  
  
Phil looked through the windscreen with mounting apprehension. He could see a large crowd of reporters gathered in front of the Pond and he wondered who had leaked his release to them. Tony's driver pulled up alongside them and turned to him:  
  
"There you go, safe and sound."  
  
"Until I step out you mean." Quipped Phil. "It looks like a feeding frenzy out there."  
  
"I think you're going to have an escort." Said the driver pointing behind Phil.  
  
He turned to see Wildwing coming towards the car. He was surprised to see the rest of the team were waiting on the steps. They were all dressed in civilian clothes and Wing wasn't wearing the Mask, which was another surprise to him. Wing opened the door and he stepped out. Immediately the questions started and Wing said:  
  
"Say nothing until we get up top there."  
  
He propelled Phil though the mass of people and up the steps where he took a place behind a stand that was bristling with microphones. Phil stood a little behind him, astonished to see Wing willingly talk to the press.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," he began.  
  
The seething mass of curious humanity quieted down and he continued.  
  
"I would like to officially announce that Phil has been proven innocent and all charges against him have been dropped. As it is a Friday today, he will be resuming his duties as our manager as of the next week, giving him a chance to rest up after the terrible ordeal that he has been through in the last few days. I ask you please to refrain from harassing him in this time period, so I would like to give you the opportunity now to ask any questions that you might have."  
  
The reporters stumbled over one another to get their question in first and Wing pointed at the closest one.  
  
"How did Mr. Palmfeather get cleared?"  
  
"An anonymous tip came through to us."  
  
"Did it have anything to do with the strange girl that was seen with you guys on several occasions?"  
  
"She is just a friend of Phil's that happened to arrive when this started."  
  
"Is it true that Mr. Palmfeather was framed by his partner?"  
  
"We cannot comment on that matter at this time."  
  
This was like waving a red rag at a bull and the press surged forward, shouting more questions. Before it could get out of control, Wildwing held up his hands and said:  
  
"Okay, we have to wrap this up now. Thank you for coming."  
  
He turned his back on them, despite them still shouting questions at him and hustled the team through the doors into the pond. Grin locked the doors behind them and then Wing breathed a huge sigh of relief.  
  
"I am so glad that that's over with!"  
  
"Hey, uh, guys..." began Phil, but Wing held up a hand and said:  
  
"Hold onto that thought Phil, we have to go and check on something down below. Come with us and we'll talk there."  
  
They made their way towards the elevator but instead of boarding it, Wing made a left and trotted down the corridor. A confused Phil followed, not sure what was going on. His confusion evaporated when they turned another corner and he was confronted with the banner and his friends. Willy picked up a tray and handed round glasses of champagne and then he raised his glass and said:  
  
"To Phil's return."  
  
They all clinked glasses and drank. Then Dive started the chant of: speech!  
  
Phil looked around and cleared his throat.  
  
"I just want to say thank you to you guys, for believing in me when no one else did. You stuck by me and that means more to me than any amount of money"  
  
He raised his glass and said:  
  
"To my friends."  
  
Again they clinked their glasses and Phil looked at each and every person there but his gaze lingered the longest on Red. He opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head, winked and mouthed the word: later.  
  
Suddenly the buzzer from the food warmer went off and Dive and Duke shouted in unison:  
  
"Food!"  
  
That started the party in earnest and Dive soon had the music going while Tanya plied Phil with a plate of food.  
  
"You probably didn't eat well there." she insisted. "Look, you're thinner already."  
  
"Okay." He accepted the heaping plate and began to eat. He sat himself down in the corner and unobtrusively observed the team. Tanya had wandered away and gone to stand by Grin, who was also getting some food. She slid an arm around his back and he looked down at her and popped a canapé into her mouth.  
  
Phil watched the by-play incredulously and wondered what else had changed while he was out of the loop. He turned his attention to Wing who was sitting talking quietly to Mal. He knew that those two were attracted to each other and he wondered who would bend first.  
  
Dive was busy flicking through his CD collection with Willy and Duke was conspicuously absent. He looked around for him and spotted him going towards the other end of the room with two plates of food. Looking past him, he could see Red straddling a chair, her arms folded over the back and her head resting on them. Like him, she had been watching from a distance. She looked up at Duke as he neared with the food but he was too far away to hear what they were saying.  
  
Red looked up as Duke approached with two plates of food and she raised an eyebrow and said:  
  
"Glad to see you've got an appetite."  
  
"Ha ha." He smirked. "One of these is for you. Here."  
  
He held the plate out to her and she eyed it warily before taking it. She didn't have an appetite but she didn't want to hurt Duke's feelings, since he had made an effort to get it for her.  
  
As he sat next to her, she was having a silent conversation with herself.  
  
Why would I care about hurting his feelings? How did that happen?   
  
Maybe it's time you started to care about someone else. A little voice suggested.  
  
Immediately she squashed that thought and firmly told herself:  
  
No! You are not going to let him get under your skin. Letting him would be dangerous and stupid.   
  
The irritating voice came back with:  
  
What would it matter if you admitted that you liked him, the time is nearly up anyway and then nothing matters.   
  
It would hurt him. To let him in and then do that, I won't do that.   
  
So you do feel something for him. The little voice said smugly.  
  
Aarrrgh! Shut up!   
  
Red huffed out a sigh, thoroughly disgusted with herself and then turned to face Duke as he spoke to her.  
  
"You okay there?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm just glad that this is almost over."  
  
"Almost?"  
  
"Just a few loose ends to tie up."  
  
"One of them being Jack and the gang?"  
  
Red sat quiet for a moment, thinking on the choices that she had made regarding Jack and then nodded.  
  
"Yeah. There are a few issues that I have to clear up with Jack."  
  
"About his brother?"  
  
Red turned to look at Duke and asked:  
  
"Nosey aren't you?"  
  
"Just curious." He said mildly.  
  
"Yeah it's about his brother. But I'll tell you guys the whole thing in the morning, I don't think my crap is what anyone wants to hear tonight."  
  
Duke was about to tell her that her past wasn't crap when they were interrupted by Klegghorn, who had arrived late.  
  
"I, uh, um..." he started to stammer.  
  
"Save it." She said shortly. "I'll be outta your hair in a few days."  
  
She turned her back on him and continued to pick at the food that Duke had brought her. Klegghorn glared at her back for a moment and then stomped away. Duke chuckled and she looked at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You really don't like him do you?"  
  
"He's a good cop and a jerk at the same time and we just don't get along."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Tomorrow." She groaned. "Can't we just have fun tonight?"  
  
Duke pretended to be shocked and gasped:  
  
"Fun! You actually want to have fun?"  
  
"Ha ha." She said, throwing a fake punch his way.  
  
He dodged and decided to make the most of her strangely pleasant mood. He looked her up and down and asked:  
  
"Nice jeans, what did you fight with?"  
  
She looked at the pants she had borrowed from Willy's closet and had to agree, it did look like she'd been in a fight with something. They were light blue and had horizontal rips in the front, all the way down the leg. Although they were from Willy's thinner days, they still rode low on her hips. She had teamed them with a T-shirt that advertised an obscure brand of vodka, hiding the skin that peeked out from the waist.  
  
"They're from Willy's younger years, when he was in a band." She explained. "Its not like I have any of my clothes y'know."  
  
Duke was puzzled for a second and then remembered that she had lost everything in the fire and the clothes that she had been wearing that day, were damaged beyond reason. A guilty flush spread across his face and she spotted it.  
  
"Hey," she said quietly. "I needed a new wardrobe anyway."  
  
He grinned, quickly got to his feet and held out a hand to her and said:  
  
"C'mon, lets go see if we can pester Dive."  
  
As she stood up, Red asked:  
  
"Why would we want to do that?"  
  
"Well, ya see..."  
  
As they walked towards Dive, he explained the pranks that they had played on each other. Dive had seen them coming and was listening to the conversation as they approached. He grinned when he realized that he could tell Red a few of Duke's less elegant moments. The two mallards soon had her laughing and smiling as they regaled her with numerous stories.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Mal and Wing were oblivious to the rest of the room. They were deep in conversation about the things that they liked about earth.  
  
"I mean," said Mal. "It's not Puckworld, but there are a few nice things here. I don't find the place so bad."  
  
"Yeah, it's grown on me too but the one thing that I miss is the snow." Said Wing pensively. "I'm sure you do."  
  
"Yeah." She sighed. "It's a little warm here but it's better than limbo. Besides, there are colder places here that we can visit in the off season."  
  
Wing nodded and then noticed her cup was empty. He stood up and picked it up along with his own. Mal looked up at him and he could feel himself drowning in her liquid eyes.  
  
"You going to get refills?" she asked.  
  
Instead of the positive answer that he intended to give her, Wing lost control of his tongue and was horrified to hear himself blurt out:  
  
"Go on a date with me Mal."  
  
Mallory was stunned, she had never expected Wing to be so forthright and by the expression on his face, he didn't expect it either. She raised an eyebrow and asked:  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Wing knew that it was too late to retract his words and in a way, he was relieved to finally get his feelings out in the open. He had a chance at this and he wasn't going to blow it by backing down. He sat down again and reached across the table for her hand.  
  
"Just one date Mal, please." He asked earnestly. "If it doesn't work between us, then we lost nothing."  
  
"Nothing to lose but everything to gain." She whispered. "It's a date."  
  
They sat and stared into each other's eyes, the empty cups, the party and everything around them a blur.  
  
Mal looked into his honest eyes and knew that she couldn't wait for a date that they hadn't made yet, she couldn't wait anymore. She leaned across the table towards him and found that he was already meeting her halfway. Their beaks locked together and they left the world behind them.  
  
Phil noticed it and walked over to Dive, Duke and Red and said to them:  
  
"Have you guys noticed that?"  
  
They looked at the engrossed pair and then Duke said in an amused voice:  
  
"I wonder what took him so long. He's been mooning over her for months."  
  
Dive snuck up to them and waited for them to come up for air. When they broke apart, he smacked Wing on the back and said:  
  
"Way to go big bro, you have good taste."  
  
Wing groaned and Mal hid her face in her hands as it turned nearly the same colour as Red's hair. Then she looked up and asked:  
  
"What do you mean, good taste? He has great taste!"  
  
They all laughed at the double meaning of that sentence.  
  
By an unspoken agreement, the team gathered together with the five humans around the main table and started to put the pieces together.  
  
"What happened with Magnus?" asked Phil. "He was my friend."  
  
"Was." Said Red sourly. Money has a funny way of changing people and not always for the better."  
  
"But how did he do it?" asked Wing.  
  
"It's quite complicated but the easiest way to explain it is think of it this way, every time Phil bought something from Icetech for you guys, he signed an invoice. Now what they were doing is making fake invoices from signed copies and submitting them to the accounts department. Since they were signed by Phil, they passed them for payment. When Icetechs accountants saw the deposits, they tried to allocate the money and then Magnus would call them and say that they had overpaid them and that they could return the money to a 'holding account'."  
  
"That was actually his account." Said Duke, catching on.  
  
"Exactly." She nodded. "As far as the Pond's accountants were concerned, they had paid all the invoices and Icetech's accountants were happy since they were paid."  
  
"But how did it go wrong?" asked Wing.  
  
"A new clerk was hired a few months ago and she noticed that a few of the accounts were a little untidy. She requested copy invoices from Icetech, who gladly supplied them and then she couldn't make the figures match up, since they supplied her with the real ones."  
  
"So she took it to Monica who took it to Magnus who pinned it on Phil." Said Mal.  
  
"The financial gain I can understand," said Duke. "But why Icetech?"  
  
"Magnus is a silent partner of the company and owns a substantial amount of stock. He promised to sign it over to the owner, Mike, if he went along with the embezzlement."  
  
"Why didn't he just sell the shares legally?" asked a very confused Mal.  
  
"Tax." Said Tony. "He would have to pay a substantial amount of tax if he sold the shares on the market. So he decided to embezzle what they were worth to avoid the taxes."  
  
They sat quiet for a moment, digesting this information and trying not to ask the question that was buzzing in all of their heads. Eventually Dive's curiosity won out and he asked:  
  
"So how did you figure it out?"  
  
Red gave a pointed look at Klegghorn and said:  
  
"Let's just say that I made a few educated guesses. Then it was all up to Tony and his gang."  
  
"How educated?" asked Wing.  
  
"I used to work for Tony." She said, irritation showing in her voice. "Look, I thought that we could do 'show and tell' tomorrow. I'm sure that none of us want to spoil the party by talking about the downer that is my life."  
  
"Sure," agreed Wing. "Tomorrow the facts, tonight, the fun."  
  
Red raised her glass and said with a grin:  
  
"I'll drink to that."  
  
The tension dissolved and soon they were talking nonsense and laughing and having a good time. While in a conversation with Wing about autographing bodyparts, Phil let out a huge yawn. Wing smiled and looked at the clock and then did a classic double take.  
  
"Holy cow!" he exclaimed. "It's after four in the morning."  
  
That brought everything to a sudden stop and tired faces looked around at each other. Dive and Tony were slightly plastered since they had been playing Sip Poker with Willy and Duke. Red had been playing referee so she was still fine. Tanya was sleeping against Grin's shoulder while he and Mal were talking. Klegghorn had left a while ago.  
  
Red came over to Phil and said:  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow. If you don't want to hear what..."  
  
He cut her off by saying:  
  
"I'm ready to hear the whole story. Please, let me be there for you."  
  
"Thanks." She said softly, not wanting him to see how grateful she was that he would be there when she told her story to the others. They joined the team as they surveyed the remnants of the party. Silently and unanimously, they decided that clean up could wait until the next day. Wearily, they staggered towards the door and Duke turned to Red and asked:  
  
"Where are you gonna stay now?"  
  
"I'm going to persuade Willy to loan me his couch for a few nights." She said with a shrug. "I mean, I already raided his closet, what's a sofa between friends?"  
  
"Why don't you stay at Phil's place?" asked Wing. "Surely it would be more comfortable?"  
  
Red pulled a face and said:  
  
"Comfortable maybe, but not very secure. I'm a little too popular with the wrong crowd remember."  
  
"True," He agreed. "I just wanted to make sure that you were safe. Let us know if there's anything we can do for you."  
  
Red could feel his genuine concern for her wellbeing and she reacted as she always did, by pushing them away.  
  
"Why," she said sharply. "Just because I yanked Phil out of trouble doesn't mean you owe me anything."  
  
She turned on her heel and walked down the hallway, not waiting for Willy and Tony. The two men bid the team a hasty goodnight and dashed away, catching up with Red. They were soon out of sight.  
  
The team and Willy descended down to the base where they went straight to bed without any more conversations. Soon, everyone was fast asleep, all except one. Duke was lying in the darkness, thinking.  
  
Duke's thoughts:  
  
As soon as one us show concern, she hardens up and pushes them away. Why? What makes her resist emotional connections? It's like she tries to make sure that the only thing people feel about her is dislike and distrust.   
  
He carried on with his musing until sleep overtook him and he drifted away into dreamland.  
  
At Willy's apartment, Red was sitting on the sofa, listening to Willy's steady breathing. She had not even attempted sleep, knowing full well that it would be unobtainable. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her head on her knees. As she always did with people, she had tried to keep them at arms length but this time, they had managed to put a few cracks in the wall that she had around her and it was making her uncomfortable. She was deep in her thoughts and soon drifted into a light daze, where she had the strangest dream.  
  
RED'S DREAM:  
  
She was still sitting on the sofa when the front door opened and someone stepped into the room. As they came out of the shadows, she wasn't surprised to see herself. She sat on the sofa's other end and stared at herself.  
  
"So, I guess you're here to try and talk me out of it." She snapped.  
  
"Damn skippy I am." Said Red2. "This isn't a good idea and you know it."  
  
"What else am I supposed to do?"  
  
"What about the police?" asked Red2. "Surely they can put him away and then he can't touch Phil any more."  
  
"You're grasping at straws. You know that even in the joint, Jack can still reach out and hurt Phil."  
  
"But this?" she said plaintively. "How does this solve the matter?"  
  
"It's permanent. When it's all over, then he wont be a threat anymore."  
  
"Yeah well, you don't get more permanent than dead." Snapped Red2.  
  
"I don't hear you coming up with anything better y'know."  
  
"I just don't think that it will stop him."  
  
"As twisted as he is, he sticks to his word." Insisted Red.  
  
"You don't know that!" shouted Red2. "You're just hoping that he will. What if you're wrong?"  
  
"I'm not wrong!" yelled Red.  
  
"You're running!" screamed Red2. "You don't want to admit that you might actually feel something for these people and this is an easy way out for you."  
  
"Easy?" yelled Red. "How do you call death easy?"  
  
"For you, dying is easier than living." Said Red2. "It won't hurt as much."  
  
"How do you know? You don't know me!"  
  
"I am you!"  
  
Red regarded herself for a long moment and then said:  
  
"Okay, if you're so smart, give me one good reason why I deserve to live."  
  
Red2 sat and looked at her hands and noticed that they were covered in blood. Red looked down and saw it as well and then looked sadly at Red2 and said:  
  
"You're my conscience and even you know I have their blood on my hands. You know I'm right."  
  
Red2 could feel tears welling up and streaming down her face. She was right, the blood was there, it had always been there and no amount of scrubbing would wash it off. Not even her tears had managed to fade the crimson stains. She looked into the eyes of Red and could see the despair that she herself felt. Silently, they reached out and grasped hands and Red2 faded and merged with Red until there was only one young woman on the sofa, staring at her bloodied hands.  
  
Red jerked awake and lifted her hands. They were clean, unstained.  
  
"Only on the outside." She said out loud.  
  
She uncurled off of the sofa and went to the small kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. She looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly eight. She sat at the dining table and unbandaged her hands, determined to have a shower before Willy got up. She succeeded too.  
  
Later that day, after making a call to Grin's cell to avoid eves-dropping press, the team came to the Rusty Nail. Willy was busy in the kitchen, making lunch while they were sitting around one of the bigger tables, talking quietly. Red was sitting cross legged on the bar, watching. Duke took a hard look at her and saw that she was pale and had dark smudges under her eyes. He came over to her and asked:  
  
"Rough night?"  
  
"Yeah. I didn't sleep much."  
  
"You don't have to do this now y'know."  
  
"Yeah," she said wryly. "I do."  
  
Looking at the rest of the team and Phil, she called out loudly:  
  
"Gather round boys and girls, it's story time." 


	29. Revalations

Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine! Now go back to where you came from!  
  
A/N: This chapter is not a long one, but it is full of flashbacks. Before I get into it, I just want to say a huge thank you to all of you that have read and reviewed this story. The only reason that this story has managed to get this far is the thought of loyal readers waiting for the next installment. Here's to you guys – the Faithful.  
  
Daniella L'orange DarknessQueen SapphireCat Silver Elf Child Cat61 BlueMoonDuchess Lady Sliver1 LilyC Zimmy Kid  
  
Thanks a bunch!  
  
Chapter 29  
  
Red looked over the expectant faces and then met the eyes of Willy and Phil. If any one knew how hard this was going to be for her, it would be them. For the first time, she would deliberately think about the memories that haunted her.  
  
"If you're expecting a sad tale of abused children, poverty and horror," She began, "You're dead wrong. The only thing you're going hear about is failure and disgrace."  
  
She bit her bottom lip and then blew her breath out through pursed lips. Taking a deep breath, she started:  
  
"There were four of us in my family. My father was a lawyer, with his own firm and my mother was a stay at home mom. I was born three years after my brother and he meant the world to me. I worshipped him and unlike other old siblings, he made time and place for me. We were inseparable. One day we were coming back from visiting our grandparents when a delivery truck ran a red light and slammed straight into us."  
  
She stopped and looked at Willy who gave a near imperceptible nod. She raised an eyebrow and continued.  
  
"Willy was the driver. He had suffered a mild heart attack at the wheel and lost consciousness. He suffered permanent injury to his legs, which left him with the limp that he still has. My bother and I were just banged up a bit."  
  
She stopped and looked at her hands, which were folded in her lap. She was glad that the others could not see the tremors that were coursing though her. Wing could see that she needed a nudge to continue and asked:  
  
"What about your folks?"  
  
"My dad died on impact and my mom died on the way to the hospital. Ray was eight and I was five"  
  
FLASHBACK:  
  
Rhiannon sat with her arms around Raymond and watched as the policeman spoke to her granddad. She could see that he was upset with what the policeman had said to him. She didn't need them to tell her what she already knew – both her parents were gone. Granddad came over to them and crouched down. He started to speak but she beat him to it.  
  
"Mommy and Daddy are dead aren't they?" she asked.  
  
"Yes dearheart, they are."  
  
"Are they in Heaven?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then it's okay."  
  
Gerald sat, stunned for a moment at the ease at which his granddaughter accepted the loss of both her parents and then envied her for her simplicity. Red turned her attention back to Ray, who hadn't said a word since they had brought him in. He had become almost catatonic and Gerald was becoming worried about him. The doctor had said that he was in shock and would come out of it in time.  
  
At least the kids have each other. He thought to himself.  
  
He gathered the siblings and helped them into his car. Driving to his house, he wondered how Jenna (his wife) was taking the horrible news. He hoped that she would be strong for the sake of the children. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he saw that the two children had fallen asleep, Red's arms still securely wrapped around Ray.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"That was the beginning of the rest of our lives." Said Red with a shrug. "We settled with my grandparents and our house was sold and the proceeds put into trust for us."  
  
"Did Ray come out of his silence?" asked Tanya, ever concerned about children.  
  
"Yes. He woke up screaming later that night. I wanted to go to him but my grandmother forbid me, so I waited until she was asleep and I snuck back in and stayed there until he went back to sleep."  
  
"That was a bit harsh wasn't it?" asked Dive, thinking on how many times Wing had soothed him after a nightmare.  
  
"You have to understand something," explained Red. "My grandparents came from old money and their children had been raised by nannies, the same as them. She didn't really know how to look after two small children. She sent Ray to an exclusive boy's boarding school soon after we got there and that left me on my own."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Six-year-old Red stared at her shoes as she nervously shuffled in front of her grandmother's disapproving stare. She had been climbing the pine tree out in the garden and had forgotten that she was wearing a dress. It was now in shreds from the bark and she was covered in scratches and had blood running down her leg from a nasty cut.  
  
"What did you think you were doing?" demanded Jenna. "You're supposed to be a little lady, not some hooligan. What do you have to say for yourself?"  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered.  
  
"Sorry wont bring that dress back young lady." Snapped Jenna. "You will go the garage and clean those shoes yourself and then you will go upstairs and let Mischa see if she can't rescue your appearance once again. Honestly, I don't know what you're mother was thinking when she had a girl."  
  
She turned on her heel, leaving a stricken six-year-old in her wake.  
  
PAUSE FLASHBACK  
  
"It was just bad luck that she caught me." Said Red ruefully. "Normally the nanny, Mischa covered for me. In a way, I was glad to go to the garage, I got to spend some time with Ken, the estate driver and mechanic."  
  
CONTINUE FLASHBACK  
  
Red sat on a paintcan, buffing her shoes with a rag. Ken was busy under one of the cars, every now and then, a long fingered hand would come out, feel for a tool and vanish back under the car with it. Eventually, he slid out and sat up.  
  
"There we are, all done."  
  
"What was wrong with it?"  
  
He proceeded to explain in full technical terms the procedure to change the transmission fluid. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge and already showed an aptitude for mechanical thinking. He knew the old lady had better never find out about his impromptu lessons, she'd have conniptions.  
  
"Better get into the house and get tidied up before dinner." He advised. "You've got pine needles stuck in your hair."  
  
Red shrugged and stood up, the now shiny shoes clutched in one hand. She always seemed to end up in the garage and associated the smell of oil, fuel and hot engines with friendliness and warmth, something that always seemed to be in short supply where she was concerned. Throwing a quick wave at Ken, she pattered off towards the house where the nanny was waiting.  
  
Red knew that she was in disgrace with her grandmother and would not be expected down to dinner that evening. She seemed to think that eating in the kitchen was a punishment, Red never understood that since she was more comfortable in the kitchen anyway.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"So you never seemed to fit in with your grandmother's ideas when you were a child?" asked Mal.  
  
"Not just as a kid." answered Red. "It got worse as I got older. I couldn't please her, not matter how hard I tried. And believe me, I tried really hard. I went as far as going to finishing school to try and get her approval."  
  
"What's finishing school?" asked Dive.  
  
"It's where young ladies go to learn social graces and manners and things. I learned the art of hosting a dinner party, dancing and all sorts of other stuff that I'm never going to use."  
  
"So basically," said Duke slowly. "You're one of the elite crowd."  
  
"You could say that I cam from them," she nodded. "But I never fitted in there. On the outside, yes, but on the inside, I always felt something like a pickled onion in a fruit salad."  
  
The team chuckled at the analogy and then she continued.  
  
"Skipping the growing up bits that are irrelevant, I'll start again when we were both working, I was eighteen. See, my grandfather believed that although we were going to inherit a boatload of money, we should have jobs and live in the real world. I was grateful since it got me out from under granny's eye. Ray wasn't too happy since he hadn't found anything that he enjoyed doing.  
  
"I went to work for a security company, as a receptionist come bookkeeper. That's were I picked up a lot of know how on electronics and alarms."  
  
"What about Ray, did he find something that he liked?" asked Duke.  
  
"Yeah, he eventually started repping for a sporting goods company, since he loved sports and could get along with almost anyone."  
  
"Which company?" asked Mal curiously.  
  
"Icetech." She answered wryly. "That's how I met Phil."  
  
"Through your brother." Deducted Wing.  
  
"Right. They were really good friends and I tagged along with him one day after I had quit my job and I met Phil. soon after we added Willy to the mix and the rest is history, we are the best of friends."  
  
"So why did you quit your job?" asked Tanya.  
  
"I had an argument with my boss about his wandering hands." she said bluntly.  
  
"So did you start working with Ray?"  
  
"No. I got another job at the IRS, where I worked for Tony for about a year. It then that everything turned sour."  
  
"How?" asked Wing.  
  
"Ray had been working for IT, short for Icetech for about a year and it was in that time that I noticed changes about him. He would act oddly, have mood swings and stay out really really late at night. Eventually, I figured it out."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red was waiting at Ray's apartment for him since they were supposed to go out to dinner that night. He had called to say that he would be a bit late and that she should wait there, he'd be in soon. That had been six hours ago. She alternated between pacing the hallway and peering out the window into the complex's entrance gate. She was worried, Ray had been acting strange for a while now and she didn't like it. Suddenly a key scratched in the lock and the door swung open. Ray staggered in, dropped his jacket on the floor and barely made it to the couch before he collapsed onto it. Rushing to his side, Red asked:  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Ray looked at her with bleary eyes, for a moment, unable to remember who she was. Then his addled mind regurgitated the information and he said drunkenly:  
  
"Hey, it's my lil' sis. Hey sis, whatcha doin' here?"  
  
Red frowned at his slurred speech and then had to dodge as he suddenly and violently vomited onto the floor. She reached out a hand to see if he was running a fever but instead found he was clammy and cool. His face was pale but his eyes were burning with a strange light that she had never seen before. In fact, it was almost as if her brother was a completely different person. And she didn't like him one bit.  
  
She heaved him up off the sofa and dragged him into the bathroom where he vomited again, mercifully this time, into the commode. She turned on the shower, pushed him under the water and slid the door shut.  
  
"Hey, whatcha do that for? I didn't get it on me. My clothes are sticking to me."  
  
Tuning out his complaints, she stalked into the living room and proceeded to rifle through his jacket pockets, looking for confirmation of her worst fears. When her fingers closed around the little plastic packet, she knew and in that instant, she hated her brother. Tucking the packet into her pocket, she tossed the jacket onto the couch and then proceeded to get a rag and a bucket of disinfectant and clean up the mess.  
  
She was done before Ray was, so when he emerged from the bathroom, she was sitting stiffly in an overstuffed chair. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and said:  
  
"Hey, um, I'm sorry about that. The boys and I went to Willy's to celebrate someone's promotion and I guess I lost track of time."  
  
She looked into his eyes and silently she hoped that he would come clean, and not lie to her. But the next sentence out of his mouth dashed those hopes too.  
  
"It's kinda obvious that I had too much to drink. I'm sorry that you had to see that, forgive me? He asked with a smile.  
  
Red stood up out of the chair so fast that his head spun. Stalking up to him, she flung the packet at his chest and shouted:  
  
"You weren't drunk! You were high!"  
  
Ray looked at the little packet of brown powder on the floor and felt the blood drain from his face. It was out, she knew and now he couldn't lie to her or himself any more. But Red wasn't finished.  
  
"Why Ray?" she demanded. "Why this, what made you do this?"  
  
"I..." he faltered but one look at Red's fury made him continue. "I tried it with some of my friends a couple of months ago, it was just an experiment."  
  
"Can you stop?" she demanded. "Well, can you?"  
  
Ray looked at her helplessly and then sank onto the sofa, put his head in his hands and began to cry.  
  
"No." he sobbed. "I can't."  
  
She let him cry for a few moments, listening to him babble about not being able to quit, not being able to stop himself.  
  
"Then I will stop for you." She said calmly. "You're family will stop you."  
  
"Wait." Said Ray, suddenly frantic. "You can't tell them, you can't tell granddad and grandmother, they'll never forgive me. Please?"  
  
Red looked at him and knew that she wouldn't tell her grandparents the truth about Ray, she couldn't shame him in front of them like that. Taking a deep breath, she said to him:  
  
"Okay, I'll help you, I'll stop you. But we have to do this my way, alright?"  
  
"Anything." He agreed, nodding furiously.  
  
"Then we start by flushing that crap down the john."  
  
Reluctantly, Ray picked up the heroin and took it to the bathroom and with Red watching, flushed it away. She gave him a reassuring smile and hugged him, saying:  
  
"It'll be okay, I'll make it okay."  
  
He slumped against her, exhausted. She guided him into the bedroom where she put him into the bed and went to the kitchen to make something for him to eat. While she was heating some soup, she sat at the table, making a list of the things that would need to be done and what she would need to get her brother through this.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"So that was the root of all the problems, Ray's drug habit."  
  
"What is heroin?" asked the ever-innocent Dive.  
  
"It's a drug that makes the user feel great. But it doesn't last so to keep the feeling, they use more and more. Eventually, they can't function without the drug but when they're high, they can't function either. It's a really vicious cycle."  
  
"I can understand the wanting to feel good," said Mal. "But to loose your grip on reality, doesn't seem worth it."  
  
"The call of the drug is really powerful." Said Red. "But even worse that losing your grip on reality, is the physical damage that long term use can do."  
  
"What kind of damage?" asked Tanya curiously.  
  
"Those that smoke it, damage their lungs and airways. Those that inject it can contract diseases from a dirty needle, collapse their blood vessels. Either way, long term use can make it so that you get sick easily, don't eat, don't drink, you just wander along looking for the next high."  
  
"How do you get off it?" asked Grin, who had been quiet the whole time.  
  
"That's the hard part big guy," she said with a sad smile. "You have to kick it cold turkey."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red sat in the hallway and listened to Ray screaming in the bedroom. She had tied him to the bedposts over two hours ago but he was still thrashing around, screaming about the insects that he was convinced were crawling over his skin.  
  
Red had put in all of Ray's vacation time and sick leave and she herself had quit her job, so she could be there all the time. They had moved him into her apartment and started the process of flushing the drugs out of his system by denying them to him. As his body demanded the chemicals to which it had become accustomed, he was wracked with bouts of nausea and retching. Pain flared along his limbs and he cursed his sister and himself.  
  
For three weeks, Red bathed his tortured body, spooned food into him, cleaned up when it came back out and endured a constant stream of verbal and emotional abuse. Ray blamed her for his pain and cursed her for not giving him painkillers when he demanded them. She knew what would happen if she gave into his demands, he would form another addiction. So she denied him relief and hated herself for it.  
  
Unbidden, snatches of the things that he had hissed at her wandered into her mind:  
  
"You like seeing me suffer, you think I deserve it. You're punishing me."  
  
"This is you're fault, if you hadn't gone snooping, I wouldn't be here, suffering."  
  
"I hate you, you did this to me. You were always the strong one and this is the way that you rub it in, by doing this to me."  
  
"You're enjoying this aren't you. You're getting a kick out of being in control. You think you're better than me. Well, you're not, you're nothing! Grandmother never wanted you, you were a result of careless family planning." Eventually, like in all things, the storm subsided and Ray was weak but clean. Lovingly Red pampered him and looked after him and brought him back to himself. In five weeks, he looked like his old self and was looking forward to making a clean start of things. Btu there was one thing standing in his way. What he had been using wasn't cheap and he had embezzled money from the company to fund his habit. He begged Red to help him out, to make the problem vanish.  
  
"No Ray!" she exclaimed vehemently. "I won't, it's illegal."  
  
"But if they find out what I did, then they'll fire me and press charges. If I'm lucky enough to avoid doing time, then I'll never get another job again."  
  
"Then I'll support us!" she snapped. "I can't do this."  
  
"Yes you can." He insisted. "You always were the smarter of us. If anyone can fix this, it's you. You said that you'd make it all better, please, make it better."  
  
Red sighed and held her head in her hands. She knew what he was asking was wrong but she couldn't just let him go to jail where there was the very real possibility that he could start using again. She knew that one day she would pay for this but today was not that day.  
  
"Alright." She said softly. "I'll do it, but you have to get me in."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Tell me everything you can remember about the layout of the building. Then, tell me where all the cameras are that you know about."  
  
Together with Ray, she put together a plan of the building and plotted her way in. five days later, she struck. Going in through the venting ducts from the street, she made her way into the basement and from there, using the air-conditioning ducts, made her way to the accounts offices. There she carefully erased all traces of Ray's pilfering. Leaving things as she found them, she left the same way she came in and was soon back home.  
  
Ray went back to work the next week and Red was pleased to see that he seemed to be coping. He resisted the advances of the so-called friends that had introduced him to the drug scene in the first place and started coming home when he said he would.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"I knew that I had committed a crime and that it would plague me for the rest of my life."  
  
The team looked at her, dumbfounded. Eventually, Wing had to ask:  
  
"But, if you what he wanted you to do was illegal, why did you do it? After all the evil things he said to you, you still protected him, even by going against your principals. Why?"  
  
She looked at him almost tenderly and said:  
  
"Wing, take off that mask and look at Dive,"  
  
He complied with her request and listed as she spoke in a low, almost compelling tone:  
  
"Look at him, think about everything he means to you, everything you feel for him. Remember everything that ever happened between the two of you and then feel how much you love him."  
  
She let him look at Dive for a few seconds and then said:  
  
"Now look at me."  
  
Wing looked into those cold silver eyes and heard her ask:  
  
"Think of everything you just felt and answer me this: what wouldn't you do for him?" 


	30. Confessions

Disclaimer: Not mine!  
  
A/N: This is kind of a long one, as I didn't want to break her story into two or three pieces. There is quite a bit of jumping around in her memories, please let me know if I get it wrong. I hope that this lives up to your expectations, but please: I live in mortal fear of creating a Mary- Sue. If this is leaning that way please let me know straight away so I can kill it. Reminder – this is where things get dark and the rating goes up.  
  
Chapter 30  
  
Wing thought on her question and admitted to himself that there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for Dive. He looked up at Red and she smiled slightly and asked:  
  
"You know what I'm talking about now don't you?"  
  
"'Yes. A brother's love is a brother's love. Or sister for that matter."  
  
"So what happened to Ray?" asked Mal.  
  
"He stayed clean for about three months and then we hit more problems. Ray was sent to Chicago on a business trip and he didn't have a choice but to go with the clowns that had gotten him into trouble the first time. He was away for a week and when he came back, things had changed."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Hey, I'm home!" called Ray as he stepped through the door to his sister's apartment. He looked around and saw that the rooms were in complete disarray. The ornaments were broken, the rugs shredded and the sofa torn.  
  
"I'm in the bedroom." She called in a muffled voice.  
  
Walking down the hallway to the bedroom, he could see the path of destruction continued throughout the entire house. He came to the bedroom and stood in the doorway – stunned.  
  
The bed was lying on its side, wedged in the corner. Red was crouched behind it, holding a wicked looking handgun. She was pointing it at him but when she saw that he was alone, pointed the muzzled towards the floor. Her face was bruised and scraped and her clothing was torn. He came closer and asked in a horrified tone:  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"More like who happened!" she snapped. "I got a visit from your pal mouse."  
  
Ray put a hand out onto the wall to steady himself as the strength rushed out of his legs. He knew what Mouse wanted. He looked up at Red and asked:  
  
"Did he hurt you?"  
  
"Look at me Ray?" exclaimed Red. "What does it look like?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Are you going to be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine but you have to give me a hand here."  
  
"With what?" asked a very confused Ray.  
  
"We have to pack, we're moving out."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"Did you try and run from the guy?" asked Mal.  
  
"No." answered Red. "I paid him."  
  
"How much?" asked Wing.  
  
"More than I had. I had to make a few hard choices. But the worst thing was the lies we had to tell."  
  
"Lies?" asked Dive.  
  
"Yeah, lies."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"So," finished Red. "We'd really like to travel abroad and discover Europe."  
  
Their grandparents looked at the two young adults sitting on the sofa in front of them and were so proud that they were spreading their wings. Gerald looked at his wife and said:  
  
"Any objections?"  
  
"No. I just hope they use the time wisely and learn all they can about the finer shades of life. Especially you Rhiannon, I would like for you to go and take a few classes in deportment, there are no better teachers than those overseas."  
  
"I will Grandmother." Said Red demurely, hating herself for lying.  
  
The story that she and Ray had spun was pure fiction. They weren't planning on staying in Europe for a year and they weren't planning on taking any classes. They needed time to regroup and get rid of Mouse before he figured out where they came from and went to the family for the money. They had used their grandmother's snobbery as a means to get them to agree to advance them some of the inheritance so that they could travel and find a place to live without resorting to the hotels that were not always up to standard.  
  
A few days later, they were sitting in the back of a cab as their only family waved them off towards a non-existent future. As soon as they were out of sight, Red had the cab pull over. She paid him and then she and Ray boarded the bus and rode down to the outskirts of town where they climbed the rickety stairs to their third floor apartment – or dump, whichever way you looked at it.  
  
The paint was peeling and the only illumination came from naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The place had a total of four rooms, two tiny bedrooms, a smaller bathroom and the rest of the space was taken up by a dining room cum kitchen. It was dirty, squalid and home. Thankfully the place had a few pieces of furniture, consisting of two sagging iron bed frames with lumpy mattresses, a sofa that was too soft to support anything and a table for preparing food. The stove was unreliable, the refrigerator wheezed and the water boiler made sounds like the whole of Hell's army were hiding in the walls.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"Why did you move to such a dump if you got money from your grandparents?" Asked Dive. "Surely that was enough to pay off that Mouse guy."  
  
"Not really." She said with a sad smile. "Heroin is extremely expensive and Ray had been using it for quite a while. He had managed to use up all of his money in his bank account and had sold some of his loose things to support his habit. When his money ran out, he stole from the company – remember."  
  
"Surely he knew that it was wrong, what he was doing?" asked Mal.  
  
"When you're ruled by an addiction, there are no thoughts of right or wrong, only the need for the next high."  
  
"So did you get rid of Mouse?" asked Duke.  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
FLASH BACK  
  
Red looked at the column of figures and rubbed at her eyes. No matter how she crunched them, there just wasn't enough money to go around. She knew that the first priority they had was getting rid of Mouse, then having enough money to eat. Counting the sale of her and Ray's furniture (which wasn't much thanks to Mouse), the bank account and the advancement that they had gotten from her grandparents, there still wasn't enough. She looked at the column again and made up her mind.  
  
Later that day:  
  
"Okay Mouse, it's all there."  
  
Mouse counted the money slowly, reveling in the look of pain on Red's face as she watched him. When he was finished, he had a scowl on his face. He turned to Red and snapped:  
  
"This isn't all of it. Where's the rest?"  
  
"Look in the bag again."  
  
Looking in the bottom of the bag, Mouse spotted a flash of silver and brought out a set of car keys. He looked at them and then at Red.  
  
"Are these to what I think they are?"  
  
"Yes." She said tiredly. "Now take it and get out of here."  
  
"I'll be back, Ray will always need me."  
  
"No, you wont, Ray's clean and won't use any more."  
  
"Once an addict, always an addict." He predicted darkly.  
  
Red held her temper in by sheer force of will and said tightly:  
  
"Get out, now."  
  
Mouse smirked, blew her a kiss and vanished down the stairs, tossing the keys to Red's beloved Mustang as he went. She watched him go and when she was sure that he was out of hearing, she slid down the wall and buried her face in her hands, hot tears pouring down her cheeks.  
  
She sat there for a long while, trying to bring her emotions back under her control. Eventually she had to stand up and maker her way to her room, in order to get ready for work. She was holding down three jobs and they were barely scraping by. Ray couldn't seem to find any work, despite his looking every day. She worked from seven AM to 5PM at a garage in the workshop. Then she pulled the six PM to 11PM shift at the local hospital on the cleaning staff and then she had to dash across town to the Rusty Nail to pull the twelve till closing shift. She managed to snatch about two or three hours a night since she had to be up at five AM to get things done in the apartment.  
  
She went to work and faced a normal day, little knowing the shaky world that she worked so hard to maintain was about to come crashing down around her. That morning, at two thirty, when she stumbled through the door, she found Ray sleeping on the couch, where he had been waiting for her. She grinned at him and went to fetch a blanket to cover him with. Draping it over him, she brushed his arm and it fell from the couch. With it came a syringe and a rubber band that curled around her feet like a dead snake.  
  
Horror rose in her chest as she realized that Ray had mainlined. She grabbed him and tried to shake him awake but he didn't respond. Grabbing his car keys from the side table, she dragged him downstairs, loaded him into his car and raced off to the hospital. There the staff took him into a cubicle, closed the curtain and left her standing alone in the middle of the hallway that she herself had just recently cleaned.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Red absently rubbed at the droplet that had fallen on her hand and realized that she had been crying. She looked up at the team, Willy and Phil and saw understanding and compassion. There was no accusations or condemnation.  
  
Not yet. She thought to herself.  
  
"Do you want to stop for a moment?" asked Wing gently. "Maybe get something to drink?"  
  
"Yeah," she said gratefully. "I think that's a good idea."  
  
She unfolded herself and hopped off the bar and made her way to the bathroom. They watched her go inside and when the door closed behind her, Wing looked at Phil.  
  
"Did you know all of this?"  
  
"No," he said in a wretched tone. "I had a rough idea but I never thought that it would be this bad."  
  
"Shouldn't we stop this for now, I mean, it is hurting her to tell us." Said Tanya.  
  
"No." said Duke emphatically. "If she stops now, she might never be able to face it again. Rather get through the pain all at once than take it little by little."  
  
"You're right." Said Phil. "Better now than later."  
  
Their conversation was halted by Red coming out of the bathroom. They could see that she had rinsed her face abut there were still traces of the tears that she was unwilling to show them.  
  
"Let's get on with it." She said dully, climbing back on the bar.  
  
"What happened with Ray?" asked Dive.  
  
"He'd mainlined a dose of heroin and it wasn't the only thing he had taken either."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red sat at Ray's bedside and watched the heart monitor trace a steady blip across the screen. She was outwardly calm but inwardly she was a seething maelstrom of rage. She was so disappointed that Ray had gone back to using, were things so bad with them that he had to use drugs to escape his life?  
  
Her musings were interrupted by the doctor coming in. He was looking for her and he quietly drew her out of the room and took her to the lounge where he handed her a cup of coffee. They sat on the chairs and he asked her:  
  
"Is this the first time that your brother has used?"  
  
"No. I had to get him off of it once before, I thought that we had managed to kick it then."  
  
"Unfortunately, drug addiction can never be cured, just controlled." He said sadly.  
  
"I know, I thought that he was under control, I was wrong."  
  
"You do know that this isn't the only drug that he took." He asked cautiously.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"We found traces of cocaine in his system as well. It looks like he mixed the two and that's what sent him into arrest."  
  
"Will he be okay?"  
  
"In time, but he is going to need a professional rehabilitation center. Do you know of any?"  
  
"No, I mean, I never thought that I would need one with him."  
  
"I'll give you the number of one, they're not cheap though." He warned.  
  
"That doesn't matter, I'll get the money." She said firmly.  
  
The doctor left her alone and she let her thoughts whirl round in a storm of guilt.  
  
Why hadn't she kept a closer eye on him? Why didn't she get in touch with a rehab center, they could have helped him more.  
  
She sat for almost an hour, the coffee getting cold in her hand, blaming herself for her brother's faults. Then she shook her head and said to herself:  
  
It doesn't matter now, what I did and didn't do. What matters now is what I am going to do.   
  
She threw the coffee away and made her way back to Ray's room. He was still asleep so she kissed him softly on the cheek and then left the hospital, making her way home to get some sleep before the next day of work.  
  
But that wasn't going to happen. When she got home, there was another unpleasant surprise waiting on her doorstep – Mouse.  
  
"What do you want?" she snapped.  
  
"What do you think sweetie, money, the money that your brother owes me for the wonderful experiences that he's had."  
  
"He's in the hospital!" she shouted. "Do you call that wonderful?"  
  
"Hey," he shrugged. "If he can't use enough common sense to use properly, that isn't my fault."  
  
She looked at him, wondering if people like him ever felt anything for anyone besides themselves. Then she rubbed at her tired eyes and asked:  
  
"How much and how long?'  
  
"Twenty five hundred, by Thursday."  
  
"But that's in two days!"  
  
"Hey, he should have told you sooner. Two days Princess."  
  
He walked around her and made his way down the stairs, while Red watched him go. She was caught and he knew it. She left herself into the apartment and made a strong cup of coffee as she weighed up her options. There was only one thing left to sell – Ray's car.  
  
The next morning, while at work, she managed to get the car sold to someone who was in a hurry for a car. It didn't go for much but it would be enough to cover mouse and the hospital costs. When she was on her way to the hospital, she stopped by a grocer and bought a few grapes for Ray, he always did like grapes. When she got there, the nursing staff wouldn't meet her eyes and she wondered what was going on. Reaching Ray's room, she opened the door to find the room empty. Turning around she raced back to the nurse's station and demanded to know where her brother was.  
  
"I'm sorry dear, he checked himself out this morning." Said the nurse.  
  
"But, he wasn't ready to go home!" exclaimed Red.  
  
"We cannot keep an adult here if they have signed a waiver to discharge themselves."  
  
Red didn't even bother with a reply. She knew exactly where Ray had gone. She quickly asked one of her co-workers to cover for her and dashed outside. She ran all the way to the meeting place that Mouse had arranged and there he was, with Ray at his side, sitting on the floor. She could see that Ray was stoned and she forced herself to keep her attention on Mouse.  
  
"Here's the money." She handed over a bag.  
  
"Fine, but your bother hear has charged a bit more to his account and since we aren't sure of his financial situation, payment is immediately due."  
  
"I don't have any more." she said helplessly.  
  
"Then we'll juts have to keep your brother with us until you do."  
  
"You can't do that!" she insisted. "He needs help."  
  
"And I need money." Snapped Mouse. "Unless you can offer another form of payment."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Red, a sickening though uncurling in her mind.  
  
"I get lonely at night." He said in an oily tone. "Maybe you can do something about that."  
  
"Over my dead body." She spat out.  
  
"Actually, it'll be over your brother's dead body."  
  
Mouse pulled out a gun and aimed it at the incoherent Ray.  
  
Red reacted without thinking and threw herself at Mouse, knocking the gun out of his hands. He growled out a curse and backhanded her across her face, causing her to stagger back. Then he bent down to retrieve the gun. She leapt onto his back and they both toppled to the ground. A mad scramble ensued for possession of the gun. First it was in her hands and then in his. Suddenly, a shot rang out and she looked into Mouse's eyes as they filled with disbelief and then glazed over with death.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
She looked at them, looking at their shocked faces, daring them to speak. Eventually, someone did.  
  
"So Mouse was Jack's brother, the one you said you killed." Said Wing.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't mean for that to happen, I just wanted him to stop pointing the gun at Ray."  
  
"So what happened to you and Ray?" asked Mal. "Did they arrest you?"  
  
"No." she shook her head. "I took Ray back to the hospital, paid for him to go to the rehab center and turned myself in at the police station.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red scrubbed at her fingers, trying to wipe away the black ink used when they had taken her fingerprints. They had cuffed her to the table and locked the door and now she was waiting. She didn't wait long, a detective came in and sat down opposite her. He looked at her and said:  
  
"You wanna tell me what happened?"  
  
"I told my brother that I wanted to meet a friend, we went to the meeting, the guy threatened my brother and I. I reacted without thinking and we struggled for the gun and it went off, killing the guy. My brother had nothing to do with it."  
  
"Why did he want to harm or kill your brother?"  
  
"We were arguing about money."  
  
"What money?"  
  
"The guy had loaned money to me and I was going to pay it back. We were arguing about how much."  
  
This line of questioning carried on for almost an hour before the detective let Red be taken back to her cell. She was just grateful that she had been using her surname. Since she was being co-operative, the police didn't need to do a full background search on her and they hadn't figured out that her mother's maiden name was the same surname that would lead them straight back to her grandparents. She sat in the cell and wondered what would happen to her now and how Ray was doing.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"So what did happen?" asked Duke. "That never showed on your record."  
  
He blushed as she stared at him, realizing that he had given himself away by confessing that he had snooped.  
  
"Two weeks later I got out, they charged and convicted me of murder in self defense. I pleaded guilty."  
  
"That simple?" asked Wing.  
  
"It is if you're willing to admit to what you did wrong."  
  
"So what had happened to Ray in the time that you were gone?" asked Tanya.  
  
"He was in rehab and doing as well as he could. There were good days and bad days and then there were the days in between that felt like nothing."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red knocked on the door nervously, not knowing exactly what to expect. The nurse at the front station had said that he was a bit down and that the visit should be just the thing to cheer him up.  
  
"Come in." he called impatiently.  
  
Red walked in and closed the door behind her. She looked at Ray and inside, her heart broke. He was pale, thin and haggard. She could see that the fight against the addictions was not easy and she wished that she had been there for him in the darker times.  
  
"Hello Ray."  
  
"Oh, it's you." He said off handedly. "So what did they do to you?"  
  
Red was stung by his hostility but reminded herself that he had more problems than she did.  
  
"I got let off on Self Defense." She said softly. "I pleaded guilty."  
  
"Well, you were guilty." He snapped. "Now you've gone and landed me in even more trouble than I was in."  
  
Red was confused and hurt but she contained her temper and asked:  
  
"What do you mean, the debt is settled and you're getting treatment. What trouble could you possibly be in?"  
  
"Mouse had a brother!" He exclaimed. "And now he want's payment and interest. He's already been here to see me. This time, if I don't pay, he will kill me."  
  
Red drew in a breath and then exhaled, gaining a moment to think in. she looked at Ray and said:  
  
"I'll go and see him. I'll tell him that I'll pay him next week."  
  
"With what?" scoffed Ray. "We don't have anything left to sell. And you are the last person he wants to see right now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You killed Mouse, do you really think he wants to negotiate with his brother's killer?"  
  
Red's mouth worked in silent pain as her brother's words sank in. She realized that she had not solved the problem, just made it worse. She gathered up all her inner resources and said:  
  
"Where can I reach Jack?"  
  
"Why do you want to meet him?"  
  
"I'm going to end this once and for all, now where can I meet him?'  
  
Ray gave her an address in the warehouse district and she started out the door. As she was about to leave, she turned to him and said:  
  
"I'll see you in the morning Ray. I hope you're ready to be civil to me then."  
  
"You're really going to see Jack?"  
  
"Yes I am. This will be ended."  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
And with that, Ray turned his back on his sister and left her staring at him. She quietly closed the door, left the building and walked to the park. She sat on one of the benches and let the tears flow, trying desperately to wash away the pain and guilt that she felt.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Phil had been listening to this accounting of what had happened and couldn't believe what a jerk Ray had been. The boy was a friend of his but he never realized that he had this capacity for cruelty. And cruelty is what it was; there was no other way to describe it. He wondered how much worse it was going to get. He didn't wait long.  
  
"I sat in that park for almost two hours trying to figure out what I had done wrong." said Red sadly. "Now I know that it was the withdrawal talking." Duke thought that it was just a big jerk talking but he didn't want to speak against her brother, especially since he had never met him.  
  
"That night, I went to see Jack."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red stood at the door and glared into the camera above it. She could feel herself shaking and prayed that it wasn't apparent to the person on the other side. After a long moment, the door opened and a hulking brute jerked a thumb at her, motioning her to come in. as soon as she stepped through the door, she was thrust up against the wall and frisked for weapons or listening devices. She stood still, allowing the monster to search, knowing that he would find nothing.  
  
Satisfied, he walked off with a grunt, motioning for her to follow. He led her into an office where a slim bearded man was waiting behind a desk. He smiled as she entered and she thought to herself that a shark's smile was friendlier.  
  
"You must be Red." He said."  
  
"I am."  
  
"So you've come to beg for your brother's life."  
  
"I have."  
  
"What about yours?"  
  
Red looked him in the eye and said:  
  
"What happened to your brother was an accident. I didn't want to harm him but I had to protect my brother. Surely, you can understand that."  
  
"I do and because of your honesty I am giving you one chance to repay the money. You have three days."  
  
"Do I have your word on that?"  
  
"You do. And everyone will tell you I never break my word."  
  
"Good. I'll pay in three days."  
  
"Then, you will turn yourself over to me."  
  
"No." she said simply.  
  
"What do you mean, no?" asked Jack, not used to being told no.  
  
"I will not hand myself over to you. You want my life for Mouse's. I understand that but I am not going to give it to you on a silver platter. You want it, come and get it."  
  
"Little girl," he hissed. "I don't think you realize who you are playing with."  
  
"I'm not playing." She said evenly. "I know what you're capable of but I am still not just handing myself over to you."  
  
"Get out!" he shouted. "Before I kill you here and now!"  
  
Red turned and calmly walked out, feeling the skin crawl on the back of her neck as she tensed, expecting to feel a bullet in the back at any moment. She got out safely and was soon back at the rehab center. Going up to Ray's room, she thought about what to tell him and decided that the less he knew the better.  
  
"Hi Ray." She said as she came through the door.  
  
"Hey, Red." He said, pleasantly surprised. "I didn't expect you today."  
  
"I come every day, you know that."  
  
"Yeah but I haven't exactly been the best conversation lately." He admitted sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah, I know." She agreed. "But it's okay, I understand that you're having a hard time in here."  
  
"So, did you see Jack?" he asked nervously.  
  
"I did. He's given me three days."  
  
"You can't get that kind of money in three days!" exclaimed Ray. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Don't worry, I got it covered. You just worry about getting well."  
  
"What about Mouse?"  
  
"We came to an understanding about that, don't worry, everything's going to be fine."  
  
Ray looked at her dubiously but she had always managed to haul his ass out the fire before and he believed that this time would be no different.  
  
"Okay." He nodded. "Thank you Red."  
  
"Hey," she said kindly. "What are sisters for?'  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Wing looked at Red in admiration and said:  
  
"Ray was very lucky to have someone like you in his life."  
  
She twisted her lips into a wry smile and said:  
  
"Only in the beginning. Save your opinions, it's not over yet."  
  
"So what did you do?" asked Duke. "You said you sold everything there was to sell and there's no way that you could raise the money from working."  
  
"I was prepared to sell the one thing that I had left, my body."  
  
FLASH BACK  
  
Red hid round the corner and watched the street racers gather round the shining machines. She knew that she should be able to pick up some one here but she didn't know if she had the nerve to go through with it. Sleeping with someone for money was not what she wanted to be doing but she was completely out of options. She tugged on the short skirt that she had slid into earlier, took a deep breath and walked out into the open.  
  
Immediately she could feel the eyes on her, the hostile eyes of the women sizing up the newest competition and the hungry leers of the men. She walked as steadily as she could on her high heels around the cars, talking to herself.  
  
Remember Red, be an airhead, don't say anything except compliments about the cars. Ray is depending on you.   
  
She decided to try her luck on a young guy who was standing alone beside a gleaming Evo 8. She sauntered up to him and ran her hands over the iridescent paintwork.  
  
"Nice car." She purred.  
  
"Thank you. You're new here aren't you?"  
  
"How can you tell?"  
  
"No one comes to the losers like me unless they're new." He said with a self-depreciating grin.  
  
"I wouldn't call a machine like this a loser." She said, slipping out of her role.  
  
"And what would you know about cars?" he scoffed.  
  
"Try me." She shot back, forgetting that she was supposed to know nothing about cars.  
  
"Why am I losing power as soon as I hit 140 mph?" he asked smugly, waiting for a blank look.  
  
"You're not getting enough power in third and you're unloading. I would check the injection lines if I were you, it's just a tuning job."  
  
He stared back at her, amused.  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
"I've been around cars all my life. It's the one thing that I can do."  
  
He regarded her thoughtfully and then said:  
  
"You want to tune it for me?"  
  
"You trust me, a complete stranger with your car?" "If you think you might be wrong..." he left the implication hanging.  
  
Red grinned at him and pointed at the car.  
  
"Pop the hood."  
  
He got in and popped the hood. She latched it above her and reached into the engine. A few moments later she told him to start it. The engine roared into life and she reached in once more and twiddled with a few things. Then she closed the hood and the guy killed the engine. Getting out he smiled at her and said:  
  
"Now that's what it's supposed to sound like."  
  
"Glad I could help. Now I gotta get going."  
  
"Where to?"  
  
"I have no idea, but I'll know when I get there."  
  
"You're a lousy hooker, you know that, don't you?" he asked bluntly.  
  
Red turned on him, ready to rip his head off when she realized that he was right. She had no clue as to what she was doing. She looked at him, wondered why she was being so open and said:  
  
"I know, but I don't have any options left open to me."  
  
"Can you drive?" he asked. "One of these cars I mean."  
  
Red looked at the car, raw power wrapped in steel and said:  
  
"There's only one way to find out."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Red was smiling as she remembered that fateful night. It had introduced her to her passion for speed.  
  
"So," asked Dive eager to hear the rest. "Did you win?"  
  
"No. I was terrible." She laughed. "But that didn't stop me from trying."  
  
"Who was that guy?" asked Wing. "I mean, he took a big risk letting you drive the car, I mean those things aren't cheap."  
  
"His name was Kevin. He was an engineer that had made all sorts of interesting things to customize the cars with. He was there to find someone that was crazy enough to test drive for him. The fault in his car was just a ploy to make sure that h found a person that knew something about cars."  
  
"So you drove for him." Said Tanya.  
  
"Yeah, he hired me and it was a good salary. That nights payment was enough to cover Jack's problem."  
  
"So you paid off Jack and then what?"  
  
"Then I quit my jobs, moved into a decent apartment and tested cars for a living. At night I raced the cars for money and soon, thing were looking good."  
  
"And Ray?" asked Mal.  
  
"Ray came out of rehab and moved back in with me. He stayed clean and we were happy, really happy."  
  
She sat still for a moment and Phil knew that this is where she would need him the most. Things were about to get rough for her and he knew it. He walked over to the bar and leaned next to her. She shot him a grateful look and then looked at Duke when he asked gently:  
  
"But you didn't stay happy did you?"  
  
"No." she whispered.  
  
"What happened?" asked Dive.  
  
"Jack happened."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
It was eight months since Ray had come out of rehab. Kevin had given him a job keeping the workshop neat and stocked. They were good friends and a really great team. Red was now a first rate racer with street credibility and Kevin's mods were becoming a well-known make. Things were really going well when a dark cloud came into Red's sunny skies.  
  
The one morning they arrived at work to find the place vandalized and trashed. Kevin was devastated, as they had destroyed a few new designs that would take months to redo. He called the police and they took statements but warned them that it was most likely a competitor of theirs that did it. Red said nothing, just cleaned up. Deep down she had a good idea of who was responsible for this and her suspicions were confirmed when Jack showed up at her apartment that night. She kept him outside, not wanting Ray to know that he was there.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want my brother back." He snapped.  
  
Red stared at him, raging inside but not wanting to give him the pleasure of seeing that she was rattled. She decided that anger was the best defense.  
  
"You come near me or my friends again and I will come after you." She warned.  
  
"You're not that stupid little girl." He smirked. "You know what will happen to all that you love and cherish if you do that."  
  
Red glared at him in horror, knowing that he was fully capable of doing exactly what he was threatening. He held up five fingers in front of her face and said:  
  
"Five days. I'm going to give you five days to make your peace and come to me. Otherwise you lose everything you love, starting with your brother."  
  
With that, he turned around and left her standing on her doorstep, shaking with rage. She watched him go and then went back inside. What she didn't know was that Ray had been listening in on the conversation. He had run back to the den when he heard her coming and pretended that he knew nothing.  
  
"Who was that?" he said, apparently engrossed in the TV.  
  
"Wrong apartment." She said with a shrug, sitting down next to him.  
  
She sat with him for a short while and then went to her bedroom, pleading tiredness. Once the door was closed behind her, she reached into the closet safe and pulled out the two handguns that she had bought soon after meeting Jack for the first time. She set about cleaning them and making sure they were ready for use. She was so engrossed in her task that she didn't hear the door open.  
  
"You're going to kill him aren't you?" asked Ray, watching her oil the guns.  
  
She looked up at him and knew that she couldn't lie.  
  
"Yes. I am going to kill him and then I'm going to go to jail."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because then at least I know you'll be safe. And as long as you're safe, nothing else matters."  
  
Ray stood there and watched her calmly go about getting ready to shoot someone in cold blood, for him and he realized that he didn't know his sister at all. What he did know was that she was willing to give up everything for him.  
  
She looked up at him and said:  
  
"Go to bed Ray, I'm not going to do anything tonight. I have few days, I intend to have fun before they lock me away."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Phil looked at Red, who looked evenly at him. She seemed to be expecting something and he realized that she was waiting for them to condemn her. He knew that he couldn't do that. He looked at the team to see what their reaction was. Everyone looked like they were in slight shock, not used to anyone confessing their intent to commit murder, everyone except Duke.  
  
While listening to the whole story, Duke had figured out a few things about Red and he now knew that to protect her brother, she would do anything, including that which was outside the law.  
  
"But you didn't get to Jack, since we've already seen him." Said Dive. "So what happened?"  
  
Red took a deep breath and tried to steady her voice. She was drained, physically and emotionally but there was still more to tell. She rubbed her eyes and looked at him.  
  
"The funny thing about life is that you have all these plans and then Wham, things change and they leave you standing around, wondering what happened."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Red revved the engine, enjoying the sound. She had spent the entire afternoon with Willy and Phil. They still didn't know the full extent of Ray's problems and she intended to keep it that way. She shifted in her seat, feeling the cold steel of the Desert Eagles nestled against her ribs. Tonight she was going to race, win and then commit murder. She wondered if she would live to see trial – getting in wouldn't be a problem, but getting out, she would have to shoot her way through the goons.  
  
Oh well, she thought to herself. If I'm going to do it, I might as well do it in style.   
  
She thought about Ray, sleeping on the sofa at home. He had fallen asleep after lunch and she didn't have the heart to wake him. She had left a note on the counter but he would know where she had gone with her telling him.  
  
She was set up to race three times that night. The first two went fine and she was watching a one on one when her cell rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Red, I need to speak to you. I have to tell you something." Said Ray.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I can't tell you over the phone. Come home."  
  
"I'm on the starting line, I'll be done in less than 10 seconds."  
  
"Come home."  
  
He ended the call abruptly and Red stared at the phone. She wondered if she shouldn't pull out of the race, but thought:  
  
Hey, ten seconds or less and I'm done. It can't do any harm.   
  
She raced and won, like always. She was telling Kevin that she had to leave when the phone rang again. This time there was a strange man on the other end.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Um, Red?"  
  
"Yes, why do you have my brother's cell phone?"  
  
"I'm a paramedic, I'm afraid there's a problem..."  
  
Before he could finish, Red had thrown the car into gear and was off down the street in a screech of tortured rubber. She raced along the streets with no regard to the traffic laws. She knew that she had to get there, she knew what had happened and she had to stop him. She pulled up outside the building and leapt from the car – but she was too late. The sickly red and blue of the flashing police lights swept across the night shrouded grounds and yellow barrier tape crisscrossed the scene. She ran past the policemen and fought off the one that tried to grab her. She saw the sheet covered figure lying supine on the ground and fell to her knees beside it. With a trembling hand, she reached out to twitch the sheet away, knowing that the face underneath would be as familiar to her as her own.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Red couldn't speak any more and jumped off the bar and ran to the back door and wrenched it open. She walked out into the rain and stood there, with her face upturned towards the heavens, trying to wash away the guilt that she felt.  
  
But inside she knew that nothing would wash away the pain or the bloodstains off her hands. 


	31. More confessions

Disclaimer: Not mine. (I can't believe I'm still having to tell you this after all this time!)

Chapter 31

Phil stood rooted to the floor, stunned at Red's sudden exit. He knew that she and Ray had problems but he had no idea of the extent of them. She had never told anyone what was really going on but it explained a lot of things that he had noticed in the past. He looked at Willy who looked as sad as he felt. The team were staring the floor, walls, anything to avoid making eye contact. No one knew what to do. Then simultaneously, Willy and Phil moved towards the door.

As she stood with her face upturned, Red could feel the cool rain mingling with her hot tears. The minutes passed and the tears slowed as she managed to get her emotions back under control and she opened her eyes and looked at the sky. It was late afternoon now but the leaden sky made everything look darker, older. She drew in a shaky breath as she heard someone coming up behind her. It was Phil. Wordlessly he opened his arms as if he wanted to embrace her and she held up her hands in front of her.

"Don't touch me."

Phil looked at her in confusion and she said wearily:

"I know, you want to help, but please, just don't touch me."

"Okay, but please come inside, you'll catch a cold standing out here."

She nodded and followed him back inside the building, closing the door behind her. Willy was waiting for her with a large towel. She took it with a wan smile that never reached her eyes and rubbed her face vigorously with it.

"Come on upstairs, we need to get you into dry clothes." He said.

"No, I have to finish this now." She said, ignoring his worried look.

Wrapped in the towel to prevent drips, Red came back into the main room and took a seat at one of the front tables. Wing could see the strain on her face and asked:

"Red, are you sure you don't want to stop for a while, we can always come back later."

"No." she said emphatically. "I have to finish this now or I never will. Besides, a deals a deal and I promised the whole truth."

Despite her determination to continue with her story, Red couldn't seem to summon the strength to move her tongue to start speaking again.

Duke could see that she was struggling to pick up the thread again and he decided to start the ball rolling. He asked:

"So what had happened?"

"Ray had taken an overdose of cocaine and heroin. They found him collapsed outside the apartment building with his cell in his hand. They hit redial, that's how the paramedics got a hold of me."

"And Ray?" asked Tanya softly, knowing what the answer was most likely to be.

"Ray was dead. They pronounced him at the scene."

FLASHBACK

Red tried to lift the white sheet covering her brother's face but she was grabbed from behind by the paramedic and gently but firmly pushed away.

"It's better if you don't look Miss." He said.

"But I have to ID him what if it's not Ray." She said, grasping at straws.

"We've already had an identification Miss."

"By who?"

"By his grandmother." Said a harsh voice behind her.

Red turned and looked at Jenna. The older woman looked at her with disgust all over her face and then without warning, she stepped closer and hit Rhiannon across the cheek, sending the younger woman staggering backwards.

Red managed to regain her balance and held a hand up to her face, a mark rapidly becoming apparent.

"How did you know?"

"He called me." She said, venom lacing her words. "How could you do that to him?"

"Do what?" asked a very confused Red.

"I know what you did, he told me everything. Every horrible thing that you did to him."

"I didn't do anything to him, I helped him." Red snapped back defensively. "I helped him."

"You keep telling yourself that, meanwhile I know the truth and I'll make sure that everyone else does as well." Shouted Jenna hysterically.

"What truth? What are you talking about?"

"You killed him."

"What?"

"It's your fault that he died, his blood is on your hands."

END FLASHBACK

While she was talking, Red had been unconsciously rubbing her cheek where Jenna had hit her. She looked up at Phil and saw that he was as confused now as she had been then. She smiled bitterly and said:

"I can see from your face that you don't understand either."

"No, I don't. What was she talking about and why did he call her when he had been so adamant about keeping them out of the whole business?"

"Ray was having a bad trip when he called Jenna and he told her that I had gotten him hooked on the drugs, that Mouse had been my lover and I had given him a bad batch that was making him sick. She came rushing over to him but it was too late, he died."

Eight shocked faces stared at her and then Wing said:

"But you never did any of those things. How could he do that?"

"Like I said, he was having a bad trip and couldn't tell reality from the drug induced nightmares."

"So what happened then?" asked Dive. "Did you tell her the truth?"

"No, she left me standing there and since my apartment was now off limits since the police were crawling all over it, I just got into my car and drove around.

FLASHBACK

Red had parked the car at the top of the hill and was sitting on the hood, looking out over the bright lights of the city. She swiped at the tears running off of her chin and wondered what hurt the most – Ray's betrayal or that she was now completely alone in the world. The fact that her grandmother had disowned her didn't really bother her that much, but she was going to miss her grandfather.

Her musings were interrupted by the crunch of gravel and car headlights as a vehicle pulled up behind her. Warily she watched as Jack and two of his cronies got out and came up towards her. She was glad that she was armed but wasn't relishing a fight.

"What do you want Jack?" she asked wearily. "I'm not in the mood for you now."

"I just wanted to offer my condolences." He sneered. "Tragic thing, what happened to your brother."

"How did you know?"

"One of my guys in the police offices let me know."

"So now what?"

"So now you come with me, willingly."

"Why would I do that Jack, it's not like you can hurt Ray any more."

"No, but I can hurt your other friends, Phil, Kevin, Willy. You don't think that the mugging that Phil had was random do you? Or the driver that nearly hit Willy while he was on that crosswalk?"

"That was your work?" asked a horrified Red.

"That was just the beginning Princess." Said Jack menacingly. "Now come with me."

Red could feel her heart pounding and wondered if this would ever be over. She knew that to keep the guys safe she should go with Jack and just let it finish but something in her snapped and she refused to go out without a fight.

Reaching into her coat she drew out both her guns. She was fast, but not fast enough to go against the seasoned professional criminals that were with Jack. They opened fire a moment before she did and she missed both her targets as she flung herself behind her car to avoid the hail of bullets that came towards her.

Hastily she got into her car and started the engine. Throwing it into gear, she rammed backwards into Jacks car, clearing a path for herself. She threw a reverse 180 turn and slammed the car into first and mashed down on the gas pedal. The car leapt forward and she managed to put a decent distance between her and Jack as they piled into their own car and laid chase. She knew that she was running for her life as she threw the car round turns and slid back and forth between lanes. She knew that it was only a matter of time before they caught up with her and she was right. A few moments later they drew up alongside her and looking over at Jack, she gave him a maniacal grin, a one finger salute and hit the NOS switch on the steering wheel.

The explosion of speed slammed her back into her seat, as the car seemed to be ready to take flight. And then without warning, it did. Red heard the gunshot a moment before the back tire blew out and the car flipped over and rolled. She was thrown around but thankfully, stayed in her seat due to the cross body harness that she had on. But it wasn't enough to stop her head from bouncing off the side strut of the window. A white-hot spear of pain flashed across her eyes and then the world dissolved into a screech of tortured steel and glass as the car slid across the street and into the wall of a building.

Red struggled back to consciousness and realized that the car was resting on its roof and she was hanging from her seat, held in by the cross body webbing of her seatbelt. She smelled the pungent odor of gasoline and figured that the fuel tank must have ruptured. The wisps of smoke floating in front of her alerted her to the fact that something was burning and that she was out of time. Ignoring the possibility of internal injuries, she hit the release latch on her safety harness and fell out of her seat. Mercifully her feet and legs were not trapped under the dash and she started scrambling out of the car. As she crawled through the side window, jagged fragments of glass sliced into her back but she ignored them, determined not to be roasted alive.

She had just pulled herself clear of the wreck when she heard Jack's car come roaring up. Thankfully he was on the other side of the car, giving her a chance to crawl around the corner of the building unseen. She peeked around the corner just in time to see the smoldering remains of her beloved car explode in a blaze of green fire as the NOS tanks blew.

Jack had not seen her crawl out of the wreckage and as far as he was concerned, she had just joined her brother. He stared at the dancing flames for a moment and then shrugged, got back into his car and peeled out of there without a backwards glance.

Red waited until she was sure that they were not coming back and then she dragged herself to her feet and staggered off in the direction of the Rusty Nail.

END FLASHBACK

"So that's what happened when you showed up on my doorstep that night." Said Willy.

FLASH BACK (WILLY'S POV)

He wondered who the hell was banging on his back door at this late hour and he cautiously opened it a crack. What he saw caused him to drop the baseball bat that he was holding and throw the door open wide. Red was propped up against the doorframe, covered in blood and her clothes in shreds. He took hold of her and guided her into the back room, sat her down on a chair while he locked the door and then helped her up the stairs to his apartment.

"What happened?" he asked frantically as he laid her on the sofa.

"He's dead, I'm dead, we're all dead now." She mumbled, barely conscious.

Willy had no idea of what she was talking about but knew that he had to have answers so he lightly slapped her face to bring her round.

"Huh, what?" she snapped, putting a hand to her cheek.

"What happened?"

"Ray's dead. Jack tried to kill me and my grandmother thinks that everything is my fault."

"I don't understand." Said Willy. "What happened?"

"Not now Willy." She groaned. "I can't tell you that, for your and Phil's own good. But I do need a favor."

"And stitches." Snapped Willy. "Let's get you to a hospital."

"No!" she shouted. "That's the favor I need. I need you to call that friend of yours in the police force and get him to report me dead."

"Dead?"

"Yeah, I need to disappear and what better way to do than to die."

"I don't know about this." Said Willy dubiously.

"Please," she said earnestly. "If I stay alive around here, people will get hurt and I don't need more blood on my hands."

"What are you talking about?"

"Please Willy, do this for me." She pleaded. "No questions, no explanations. Not now, I promise one day I will tell you everything but right now I NEED to go away."

"Alright." He conceded. "But we still have to patch you up."

END FLASHBACK

"I don't remember much after that." said Red shaking her head. "When I woke up I was in your bed with bandages around me."

"I stitched you up and put you to bed and then called in that favor."

"Yeah. I watched the report on the morning news."

"So according to all public knowledge, you were dead." Said Dive. "What did you do then?"

"I said goodbye to Willy, stole a car and got the hell out of Anaheim."

FLASHBACK

In a back alley three blocks from the Rusty Nail, Red was rummaging under the dash of an old camero. She twisted the stripped wires together and was rewarded by the sudden ignition of the engine. Sitting up and making sure that no one was watching, she put the car into gear and drove out of the alley. As she headed towards the city limits, the heavens broke and the road and the surrounding scenery deliquesced into a slivery blur. Keeping her eyes on the road in front of her, she headed into nowhere, trying to stay ahead of the demons that she knew would be behind her for the rest of her days.

END FLASHBACK

"And here we are." Said Red dully, as she stood up and tossed the towel onto the table. "The story of me, Rhiannon Elizabeth Duncan – Thief and killer."


	32. Finishing the deal

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Hello? Anyone still there?

Chapter 32

"Red, I am so sorry, I never knew it had been so bad." Said Phil.

He started walking towards her but she stepped back and said:

"You weren't supposed to know Phil, you were never supposed to know any of this."

"But didn't it hurt to keep it all inside, all alone?"

"It was my pain Phil, mine and only mine. And it still is and always will be."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he insisted. "I could have done something."

"Like what?" she scoffed. "Could you have killed Mouse for me?"

"I know that wasn't your fault, you did what you had to do to survive, to protect Ray."

She put her hands on the table and leaned towards him, allowing him to see the maniacal glitter in her silvery eyes.

"You don't know me Phil," she hissed. "You never knew me."

Unnerved, Phil took an involuntary step backwards and she let out a harsh chuckle. She stood upright and watched him take another step away from her.

"That's right Phil, back away from the killer."

A heavy silence pervaded the room as Red stood there, waiting for a reaction from someone, anyone. When no one spoke she gave a sardonic smile and looked at Mal.

"Still want to be my friend?"

Without waiting for an answer she turned to Willy and asked:

"Still feel safe sleeping while knowing I'm on the sofa?"

She pinned her gaze on Duke next and hissed:

"Still feel like getting close to me?"

Before anyone could react to her vituperative attack, she shifted her attention to Wildwing and said:

"You were the only one that had an idea, that was ever suspicious of me but even you didn't know the truth. Still think you want me near your little brother?"

She looked from face to face finally ending up looking at Phil, who was visibly in pain.

Stung, Phil remained silent, wondering why she was suddenly so angry.

Duke had an idea of why she was reacting the way she was. He had felt similar emotions himself when he had joined the freedom fighters on Puckworld and he had spoken with some of the prisoners that they had managed to rescue from the camps. Instead of the condemnation that he was used to and was in some way expecting, there was gratitude and offers of friendships. He didn't know how to deal with it and pushed them away by being a jerk.

But before he could start to speak, their com units starts beeping in response to an alarm picked up by Drake 1. As a unit the team flashed into battle gear and Tanya called up the information on her portable terminal.

"What's going on?" asked Wing tautly.

"There's teleportation energy all over the city!" she exclaimed. "More than just the four of them."

"Could he be sending drones into the city?" asked Mal. "I thought that he didn't have that kind of fire power?"

"He might." said Tanya flatly. "This is probably to distract us from the real point of where he is."

"You're right." Said Wing. "Can we figure out where that would be?"

"Not without him doing something that would show up on my scanner," said Tanya with a frown. "And by then, who knows what kind of damage he might have caused."

"We can't just sit and do nothing!" said Wing. "We'll just have to go and check each detection site."

The team prepared to leave when a low voice stopped them.

"I thought you were ducks, not chickens." Said Red.

"Who you calling a chicken?" demanded Mal hotly.

"When you cut the head off of a chicken, it runs around until the body catches onto the fact that it's dead."

"And this is relevant how?" asked Wing impatiently, not liking her morbid analogy.

"You're running without your heads, blindly following these 'energy' hits. That's what he wants."

"So what do you propose we do?" asked Dive sarcastically. "Sit back and wait, not knowing what he's doing to the innocent population?"

"Yes. He obviously knows your tactics, your weak spots. He won't be expecting you to sit still and wait for him to stick his head up. So when he does, you hit him right between the eyes."

"And in the time that we wait, what about the pain that he could be bringing to innocent lives?" asked Grin.

"Duke told me that you were at war with these guys. Every war has casualties."

"Yeah, you make perfect sense." Said Duke slowly. "But that's a little too cold blooded even for me."

While they were talking, Wing's mind was frantically turning over what Red had said to them. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right, they had to stay put and wait for Dragonus to give himself away. He cleared his throat to get the teams attention.

"We wait." He said flatly. "As much as I hate to do it, we could be out there chasing ghosts all day and completely miss what he's really up to. We stay here and we wait. Tanya, keep monitoring, something will show up."

"But..." began Tanya.

"We wait and that's final." Said Wing harshly, failing to hide the pain in his voice.

The team was unsettled but they trusted Wing so they waited, tensely, silently. It was so quiet that when the second alarm went off, every one jumped visibly.

"Talk to me Tanya." Said Wing with gritted teeth.

"He's at the power plant. It looks like they plan to try and carry on recharging their power cells like last time."

"Okay team, let's move out."

The mighty ducks thundered out the door and Willy and Phil watched through the windows as the Migrator roared down the street. Phil turned back to look at Red but her seat was empty and the back door was open, swinging in the wind.

As the Migrator raced towards the power plant, Wing was trying not to think about his decision to wait for action from the Saurian's. He knew that the team would have to sit down and talk about it since they were not used to such commands coming from him. Thankfully, Duke was driving fast and they were at their destination before he could think any more.

Duke parked the vehicle around the corner from the power plant, leaving them with the element of surprise. They disembarked and quickly came up with a plan of action.

"This time," said Wing tightly, "I want to take out the equipment. Last time they took it with them and that's why they're back here now."

"There's no way we can destroy those power cells." Said Tanya, shaking her head emphatically. "If we fire on them, the resultant explosion would take out at least a radius of six city blocks."

"Then we have to damage them so that they can't be used again." he ordered.

"I'll do my best but I'm gonna need some time and cover." She said, pulling out a tool case.

"That's what we do best." Grinned Mal, priming her puck launcher.

They strategised a moment longer and then Duke and Wing came round the corner, running straight at Siege and Chameleon while firing. Wraith was once more at the controls and he started to conjure fireballs when he was hit in the back with a bola puck. It wrapped around his skinny frame, pinning his arms to his sides and effectively putting out the flames. He was so surprised he lost his balance and as he fell, he saw Mal grinning at Dive while exchanging a high five.

Grin was covering Tanya as they dodged the firefight between Wing and Siege and Duke and the Chameleon. He shielded her with his massive frame as she unscrewed one of the panels on a power cell and set about permanently disabling it. She was about halfway when she heard Grin grunt from behind her. Warily she turned around to come face to face with Dragonus himself.

He had been watching from the Raptor and knew that to save the power cells, he would have to get involved since none of his incompetent accomplices had seen the two avians tampering with them. He had teleported in and with one blast, knocked Grin into unconsciousness. Then he turned his attention to Tanya.

Before she could act, Tanya was horrified to feel Dragonus's cold and scaly hand close around her throat and lift her off of the ground. Plucking ineffectively at his arm, she fought for breath as he walked around the cells and called to Wing.

"Wildwing!" he shouted.

During their exchange of weapon fire, Wing and Duke had managed to pin the two Saurians' behind a low wall while they themselves hid behind a similar structure. Wing heard someone shout his name and leaving Duke to cover him, turned to see who it was. His heart stopped for a moment as he saw Tanya dangling from Dragonus's hand. He put a hand on Duke's shoulder to call his attention to him.

Mal and Dive were tying Wraith more securely when they heard someone shout to Wing. Dive had a sinking feeling that he knew the voice and had his suspicions confirmed when he peeped round the corner and saw the big red saurian standing beside the power cells that Tanya had been working on. Mal came up alongside him and as soon as she saw the scene in front of her, stiffened with rage. Prudently Dive put a hand on her arm and shook his head, putting a finger to his beak. Maybe they still had the element of surprise.

"Wing, throw down your weapons and let my crew come to me or she dies!" shouted Dragonus.

Fuming, Wing and Duke threw their guns out from behind the wall and watched as Siege and Chameleon jumped up from behind the wall. They watched warily as the two joined their leader. Then Dragonus turned to where Mal and Dive were hiding with Wraith.

"You two as well. Let him go and join Wing." he ordered.

Reluctantly, Dive, who had been sitting on Wraith to keep him quiet, got off and threw his gun out to join his brother's. Mal took a knife out of her boot, cut Wraith's bonds and threw her weapons out as well.

Slowly they walked out towards Wing and Duke, expecting to be taken out by a blast from behind. But they arrived unscathed and they stood looking at Dragonus. By now, Tanya had lost the battle with consciousness and was hanging limply from his hand.

"Here, catch." He said and tossed her supine form to them. Wing and Duke managed to get a hold of her before she hit the floor and they looked at Dragonus, wondering what was coming next.

"It's about time that I managed to get rid of you avians." He hissed. "You've been getting in my way and under my scales for far too long."

He turned and looked at the three cowering behind him. He sneered at them and said in an acidic tone:

"If you could cease cringing for long enough, perhaps you could take aim with me?"

The five ducks looked down the barrels of four very large energy guns and stood defiant while they though of last second plans.

"Fire!" snapped Dragonus.

There was a sudden explosion and every one scattered, dragging Tanya with them. When the dust settled, the team found themselves hiding behind the same wall that Wing and Duke had been using, wondering if they were dead. Then Wing peeked around the corner and gave a shout of victory.

"Yes!"

The others took a look and saw that a large hole had been blasted in the outer wall and the Migrator was lumbering through it with Grin behind the wheel. He laid down a barrage of fire that had the Saurian's scrambling for their teleporters. They shimmered out of sight in the familiar green haze, unfortunately taking their power cells with them.

As soon as he saw the Saurians vanish, Grin wrenched open the door and nearly tumbled out in his haste to get to Tanya, who was still in Wing's arms. He took her from his team captain and cradled her against his massive chest. Despite his immense strength, the thought that Tanya was hurt made him as weak as a hatchling and he sank to his knees, clutching her to him.

The others looked on helplessly as he gently brushed hair out of her face and spoke to her. They were not used to Grin showing any emotions and were unsure on what to do.

Tanya felt the cool breeze on her face and then heard Grin softly speaking to her. She coughed as she tried to inhale and realized that her throat hurt. Opening her eyes, she looked straight into Grin's face.

Grin slumped in relief as she opened her eyes and looked at him. He smiled and asked:

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to catch my breath."

She lay still, looking around, seeing the rest of the team standing around looking down at her. She looked at Wing and said:

"Sorry Wing, I didn't get the job done."

"Don't worry about that Tanya." He said soothingly. "All that matters is that you're okay."

"Yeah." Agreed Duke. "You're more important than those power cells."

"Besides," said Mal. "Knowing Draggy, he'll give us another chance sooner or later."

"That's so reassuring." Said Tanya wryly, starting to sit up.

She made it to her feet under her own steam, and despite his desire to pick her up, Grin let her, knowing that she wanted to reassure them all that she was fine.

They packed up into the Migrator and made their way back to the Pond. As they were heading to their rooms, Wing called to them.

"I want a meeting in the ready room in an hour."

Three blocks from the Rusty Nail, Red was standing in front of a pay phone, digging in her pockets for change. When she was sure that she had enough, she stepped into the booth, closed the door, fed the coins into the slot and dialed.

"Yes?" snapped a male voice.

"It's me."

"Well well well." He purred. "I was wondering if you would ever see the light."

"Does the deal still stand?"

"I thought you said that you'd never take it?"

Red ground her teeth in frustration but forced herself to remain calm.

"I was wrong."

"It's been a long time since I made that offer." He said thoughtfully. "A really long time. Offers like that don't come along every day."

"Please." She whispered brokenly, hating herself for begging.

"Excuse me, I didn't hear that?" he asked, enjoying the sound of her pain.

"Please," she repeated. "Let me take the deal."

"Eight tonight, at the warehouse on sixteenth street."

"I'll be there."

"I'm sure you will." He said and then hung up.

Red listened to the disconnected tone for a few seconds and then hung up the phone and stepped out of the booth. The wind immediately plucked at her thin sweater, reminding her that it was still damp by turning it icy. Turning towards the bar, she headed back, oblivious to the cold that wrapped around her body like a shroud.

Back at the Pond:

Wing looked at himself in the mirror and wondered if he knew who he was any more. A year earlier he would never had made the decision that he had this afternoon. He turned as he heard a light knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Mal slipped in, closing the door softly behind her. She looked tenderly at him and said:

"I know what you're thinking."

"Oh really, what am I thinking?"

"You're thinking that you might have made a wrong call and that you were just lucky that no one got hurt. You feel guilty."

Wing was shaken to hear his feelings laid out in front of himself by another person. He didn't understand how she had managed to see straight through the tightly controlled armor that he was always wrapped in.

"I agree with you Wing," she said softly. "It was a tactical decision and it was the right one."

"But..."

"But nothing." She said firmly. "Now, it's time for that meeting."

The two of them headed out to the ready room and found the other team members already waiting for them. There was a slight hostile tension coming from then and Wing felt uncomfortable and clumsy like he had when he had first assumed command. He shifted nervously and cleared his throat.

"I uh, just want to, uh explain." He started off lamely.

Tanya rolled her eyes and said:

"What's to explain? You left the population of this city at the mercy of Dragonus while we waited. What if I hadn't been able to get a reading on him?"

"Nothing happened." Said Wing. "Everyone was safe."

"But we didn't know that then." Said Grin.

"It was a tactical decision." Insisted Wing.

"Now you sound like Mal." Snorted Dive.

"Hey kid," said Duke. "He did the right thing."

"What?"

"Have you forgotten exactly what we're tryin to do here?"

"Take Dragonus back to Limbo." Snapped Tanya. "Duh."

"No." said Duke sharply. "We're tryin to stop him from doing to Earth what he did to Puckworld."

"All the more reason to protect the population." Said Grin simply.

"This population is capable of protecting itself." Snapped Mal.

"You're right." Said Duke. "They can take care of themselves and we should let them, it might make our job easier."

"I don't understand." Said Dive.

Wing was seeing where Mal and Duke were going with this argument and he stepped in, more confident now he was back on solid ground.

"Klegghorn already knows about Dragonus and he said that he would be on our side. That means that he has the resources to take care of some of the lesser problems that Dragonus might cause. I knew that I was taking a chance waiting for Draggy to give himself away, but I knew that if there were drones going through the city, Klegghorn has an entire police force to take care of them."

The team digested this information and then Tanya smiled sheepishly and said:

"Sorry Wing, I never thought about that side of it."

"You are indeed the right leader for this team." Said Grin in approval.

"Look," said Wing. "I know I was harsh on you back there but this is the way that things have to be. We have to start acting and not just reacting. If we don't, it means no matter what the situation is, Dragonus is in control and I can't let that happen."

He held out his hand and asked:

"You with me?"

One by one the team placed their hands over one another and then they raised them up and shouted:

"Ducks Rock!"

A moment later the silence was broken by Dive:

"Now that we have the mushy stuff out of the way, there's something really important that we have to think about."

"What?" asked Wing worriedly.

"Food!" he exclaimed. "While we were at Willy's place, we never ate."

He pulled the waist of his pants tight against himself and showed them the left over material.

"See, I'm wasting away already."

The ensuing laughter washed away any feelings of tension and they made their way to the kitchen to have lunch. While they were eating, Duke was thinking about Red and the condition she had been in when they left. He decided to give Phil a call when they were done but before he could, Grin's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Grin, it's Phil. Have you seen Red?"

"No. What happened?"

"When you guys left, she slipped out the back door and we have no idea where she could have gone."

"Do you need us to come and look for her?"

"Maybe, I don't know, all I know is that she wasn't herself when she left here and I'm worried about her."

"We'll come to you."

Grin ended the call and let the others know what had happened. They were getting ready to leave when the phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Don't worry, she came back. Said that she needed some air. Sorry to have bothered you guys."

"Not a problem."

"She is asking for you guys. Maybe you could come around six, have dinner?"

"Sure."

They hung up and Grin told them what they had arranged. That left them to their own devices for a while. Mal and Wing went to his room and Tanya and Grin went down to the lab. Dive went back to his TV games and Duke went to his room, lost in thought.

Back at the Nail:

Red was standing in the shower, feeling the warmth seep back into her bones. Despite the heat of the water, she still felt like she had ice water running through her veins. She had not mentioned her phone call to Phil or Willy and had no intention of telling them about it.

Almost over. She thought to herself as she turned off the water. She toweled off and picked up the clothes that Willy had gone out and gotten for her. There was a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt – all in black. She quickly pulled on her underwear and then dressed. As she smoothed the sweater over her arms, she thought:

At least they're the appropriate colour.

Dressed, she sat on the stairs and watched as Willy instructed one of the new barkeeps that he had hired. Phil was wandering around with a lost expression but as soon as he saw her, came up the stairs slowly, warily.

"It's okay Phil." she said. "I'm not going to bite your head off again."

"That's good." he grinned, hopeful that she was coming out of her black mood.

He took a seat one step down from her and they started talking, catching up on the missing years. She had settled in Pasadena and got a job at a car shop. The day that Willy had called she had packed up her bags and quit to come to his aid. They were still deep in conversation when the ducks arrived.

They trooped past the customers and came upstairs to Willy's apartment where he had already laid the table for dinner. They sat down and made small talk, carefully avoiding all mention of Red and her past until finally she picked up her glass and said:

"I want to offer an apology – for the pain that I have been these past few days. It's been really great getting to see who Phil's friends are."

They drank to her and then Wing asked:

"So what are you going to do now?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment and then said:

"I don't actually know, I never thought much past getting Phil out of trouble."

"What about Jack?" asked Duke. "I mean, he hasn't gone away."

"No." she said slowly. "But he isn't going to come after me, that I know for a fact."

"So what will you do about him?"

"I have a feeling that the Jack problem will soon sort itself out." she said cryptically.

Duke looked at her sharply but didn't say anything. He didn't like her answer and had a gut feeling that she was up to something. But then again, so was he.

Not wanting to get her agitated again, Phil skillfully turned the direction of the conversation to what that team had been planning in the line of practices and the like. The dinner proceeded smoothly and when it was over, they all joined in with the clean up, despite Willy's protests. Duke was carrying a dish of sauce into the kitchen when he brushed past Red and in the tight space, he lost his grip and spilled it all over her sneakers.

"Ah jeez Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." He said. "Let me take em to the bathroom and clean em for ya."

"I can clean my own shoes." She said, pulling them off and heading to the bathroom.

Deftly he plucked them out of her hands and said:

"But I messed them up, I want to."

Before she could react, he disappeared into the bathroom with her sneakers and closed the door behind him. Red raised an eyebrow, shrugged and then carried on packing the dry dishes away.

In the bathroom, Duke quickly wiped the shoes clean and then drew a dagger from the inside of his shirt. He neatly made a small cut into the heel and then put the dagger away. Pulling a small tracking beacon and a tube of glue from the other pocket, he proceeded to bug her sneaker and glue the cut closed, erasing all traces of it. Satisfied that it wasn't visible, he opened the door and went back to the kitchen.

"Here ya go, good as new." He said, holding the shoes out to Red.

She took them without a word and pulled them back onto her feet. The right one went on fine but the left caught on her heel and she staggered. Snapping out a hand, Duke steadied her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Maybe you should get some sleep, you haven't been doing much of that since you got here."

"Maybe you're right." She nodded.

Many hands make light work and the dining room and kitchen were soon spotless. They gathered in the sitting room, making themselves comfortable on various sofas, cushions and the floor. Red had gone to the bathroom and so came in after the others. She lingered in the doorway, surveying the pleasant scene in front of her. She knew that Phil had found good friends and that they would always look after him. She yawned widely, catching Willy's attention.

"You look beat."

"Yeah, I think that I'm gonna turn in for the night, leave you lot to carry on talking."

She came into the room and hugged Willy.

"G'night Willy. Thanks for giving me a place to crash."

"De nada." He said, hugging her back.

She looked at the team and said:

"Thanks for coming guys, I know things weren't easy when I first got here."

"We understand." Said Wing. "Just get some rest."

She nodded thoughtfully and then went to Phil, who stood. She wrapped herself around him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear.

"S'okay." She whispered back. "I always said I would be there for you when you helped me and Ray in the beginning."

"Go to bed, we'll talk more in the morning."

"Sure."

Phil hugged her and she clung to him as if she was drowning and he was a life preserver. Confused, he let her hang onto him until she let go. Giving him a sheepish smile, she headed towards the bedrooms, calling over her shoulder:

"Good night guys, sleep well."

"Good night Red." They chorused.

She shut the bedroom door behind her just in time, as the strength left her legs and she sat heavily on the bed. Rubbing her face had looked at her watch and grimaced as she saw that it was twenty to eight.

Time to get moving.

Silently she opened the window and slipped out onto the frame. Reaching round, she got a grip on the gutter and used it as a guide to climb down to the street behind the bar. Looking up at the lighted windows on the second floor, she whispered to the darkness:

"Take care of him guys, he's gonna need you soon."

Then she set off into the darkness, heading towards the warehouse district. Making good time, she arrived on the dot of eight and stood in front of the door. It opened and she stepped inside, letting the door close behind her. In the dim light, she could see that the doorman was Remus and hanging a little way back was Remus. She followed them into the main area of the warehouse, to where Jack was waiting.

"I see you came."

"I said I would."

"You remember what the terms are don't you?"

"I do."

They stood staring at each other and then Jack stepped closer to her and she silently ordered herself not to lift her arms as he swung his hand back, clenched a fist and hit her across her cheek. The force of the blow cut her inner cheek open on her teeth and knocked her to her knees. Knowing what he wanted, she started braced her hands on the floor to raise herself to her feet but before she could get up, he swung a booted foot under her and landed it in her midsection. One of her ribs broke with an audible crack and a burning pain spread across her chest. She fell over onto her back and looked up at him.

Jack turned to Remus and said:

"Get her on her feet, this hasn't even started."


	33. Release me

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

A/N: First, a HUGE thank you to all of you who are still giving this your attention. I appreciate it greatly and I hope that I will not disappoint you in the rest of this story. Yes, this is a VERY short chapter compared to my others but I had such a tension headache after doing it, I thought that I should stop for a moment and regroup my thoughts. Like I have warned before, things are getting dark now.

Chapter 33

Red landed on her back at Jack's feet for the third time and absently wondered how many times she could throw up before their little game ended. Then she had no time to think as Remus hauled her back up on her feet so that Jack could take another swing at her. This time, the blow landed on her already cracked ribs, sending a webwork of fire across her chest and grayness across her vision. By time she had recovered her awareness, Remus had already picked her back up and Jack was swinging again.

The team was laughing at one of Willy's funny bar stories when a beeping came from Duke's pocket. He muttered a curse and snatched it out. He consulted it for a moment and then turned to Wing.

"We gotta get movin', looks like she's headed out to the warehouse district."

Phil was confused as the ducks started getting ready to leave and said loudly:

"Excuse me, what's going on?"

Duke grimaced and then turned to him to explain.

"I had a hunch that Red would go after Jack sometime soon so I planted a beacon in her shoe."

"So why is it beeping now? She's gone to bed."

"She probably went out the window, this thing is set to go off when she gets a certain distance away from it."

"Well if you're going to fetch her, I'm coming with you." Said Phil adamantly.

His mulish expression told them that they would not win this argument and without further ado, they trooped downstairs and boarded the Migrator. Using the signal, they tracked her to the warehouse. Parking outside, they neared the door and Duke silently picked the lock. Opening it quietly, he made sure that the coast was clear and then they all slipped inside, standing still to plan their next move. Inching along towards the light, they stopped short of the door and peered around the corner. What they saw, chilled them to the bone.

Red had lost track of how many times she had fallen on her back and stared at the roof through a haze of blood, waiting for one of the brothers to haul her up for another round, but it didn't happen. As she stared upwards, Jack came into her line of vision and then knelt astride her body and leaned close to her face and hissed:

"I loved Mouse and I have waited for this for a long time."

With that, he placed his hands around her throat and determinedly began to choke her to death. Red lost focus from her vision as her air supply was restricted and then a numbness started creeping up her limbs. The light behind Jack seemed to be getting dimmer and she knew that she was moments away from losing consciousness and then her life.

It's over. She thought. It's finally over.

The ducks watched in horror as Jack started to throttle Red, who made no effort to defend herself. Romulus and Remus stood impassively off to one side, watching. Before Wing could make any plans, Duke had jumped out from their hiding place and was racing over to where Jack was sitting on Red. Romulus and Remus saw him coming but before they could react, the rest of the team engaged them and soon had them restrained. Meanwhile, Duke had reached Jack.

Red's body was completely numb and she was about to slip over the edge when the crushing pressure around her throat and on her chest suddenly vanished. She tried to see what was going on but her vision was still blurry. Her eyes slid closed again and in the dark, she could hear someone shouting at Jack and to her dulled senses, it sounded like Duke and it sounded like he was pissed, really pissed.

Duke wrenched Jack off of Red's inert form and slammed him up against the nearest column. He stared straight into his eyes and snarled:

"Give me one reason I shouldn't just kill you now."

"She came to me, she took the deal!" Babbled Jack, terrified by the frenzied drake in front of him. "She asked for this."

A horrible thought dawned in Duke's mind as he remembered the story that Red had told them and he knew that Jack was telling the truth. He flung him in the general direction of the others and turned his full attention and temper on Red.

While Duke was busy with Jack, Phil had run up to Red terrified that they had gotten there too late. He felt for a pulse and was rewarded by a thready beating, but before he could do anything else, Duke was pushing him out of the way.

Red opened her eyes as she was wrenched to her feet and came face to face with a seriously angry Duke. Pain exploded though her body, reminding her that she was still alive. She forced her disappointment out of the way and focused her attention on what Duke was shouting at her.

"Are you outta your mind? Do you want to die?"

She didn't answer and slid her gaze away, not wanting him to see the truth in her eyes. He wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her closer to him and grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his eye.

"You do! You want to die." He said incredulously. "You want it so badly you're willing to let a scumbag like that do the job."

Red continued to stare at him as he came to all the right conclusions and silently begged for understanding, for mercy, for death.

Duke was so furious, he could not ever remember being this angry and he let his temper get the better of him. Reaching into his tunic, he pulled out the dagger that he had used on her shoe and rested the needle like point in the hollow of her throat.

"Would you let me finish the job that he started?" he hissed. "Will you stand there and let me slit your throat?"

He applied the tiniest amount of pressure and a bright bead of crimson appeared on the point of the blade. She shuddered, lifted her head a fraction and whispered one word:

"Please."

"Please what?" he snapped. "Please don't, please do?"

Red wanted to answer him but before she could, her legs turned to jelly and she sank to her knees, taking Duke with her. Never letting go, never breaking eye contact, Duke knelt in front of her and waited for an answer. Getting nothing he tried to force a reaction of out her so he slid the blade down her throat, down her chest and rested it against her ribs on the left. It would take nothing for the razor edged blade to slip between the bones and pierce her heart.

"Please." She whispered again.

"You know I can kill you like this?" He asked softly.

"Yes."

"You know that I don't want to."

"Yes."

"Then tell me what you want me to do."

"Have mercy" She begged. "Release me."

Duke heard the anguish in her voice, saw her pain in her eyes and knew that she wasn't asking him to let her go. She was asking him to give her the release that she so desperately craved – she was begging him for death.

Red could feel the tension in him, translated through the arm that he still had around her. She knew that she was hurting him and knew that she couldn't hurt anyone any more. Making the decision for him, she leaned forward and felt the blade slide into her flesh and then she knew no more.


	34. Aftermath

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks are not mine, but the plot obviously is, do you really think that the sugar and spice writers at Disney could come up with something as twisted as this?

A/N: I warned you! And this is not the end – not yet. I hope that this is still interesting after all this time. Let me know if it starts getting off course, I have a tendency to wander from time to time.

Chapter 34

Duke watched in paralyzed horror as Red's eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped backwards over his arm. Throwing the dagger away from him, he clutched her to him and stood, frantically looking for Tanya.

"Help her!" he demanded.

Tanya was coming over to him when Phil stepped between them, slipping his cell phone into his pocket. He wore a bleak expression that was unfamiliar to them all.

"No Duke, she has to go to the hospital, the police are waiting there for her."

"The police!" he exclaimed. "What do the police want with her?"

"Pictures, they want to take pictures of her injuries."

"I don't understand.'" Said Wing, coming up to stand next to Phil. "Why do the police want to document her injuries?"

"Can we just get moving here?" demanded Phil. "I'll explain on the way."

"What about these guys?" asked Dive. "We can't just leave them here."

"We'll take care of them." Said a new voice from the corridor.

It was Klegghorn. He swaggered in and surveyed the three restrained men in front of him. Then he took a look at Red who was still hanging like dead weight in Duke's arms.

"Go, they're waiting for you in the emergency room." He ordered. "I'll catch up with you later."

They moved quickly and with Wing behind the wheel, they soon pulled up outside the emergency entrance. Duke jumped out and ran inside with Red, Phil right behind him, leaving the others to park and catch up. By the time they came inside, the others were sitting in the hallway, waiting.

"What's happening?" asked Dive.

"They've taken her to surgery." Said Phil in a hollow tone. "They're not sure how much damage has been done inside."

"So what pictures do the police want?" asked Mal.

"I want to press assault charges against Jack." Said Phil. "They want pictures to show the court as evidence."

"Do you think that it'll stick?" asked Dive. "I mean, she did go there out of her free will."

"I don't know, but I have to do something." Said Phil dejectedly. "We can also try for attempted murder or..."

Phil trailed off, not wanting to give voice to his fears lest they come true. But they all knew what he was going to say:

Attempted murder or murder, depending on what happened in the operating room.

The team took seats next to Phil, determined to be there for him as he waded in the agonizing sea of waiting. Grin and Tanya were sitting talking softly while Mal was leaning against Wing, trying to suppress her personal hatred of hospitals. Dive was getting coffee for them all and Duke was leaning against the wall, staring at the floor. His hands and the front of his tunic were still soaked in her blood and he had refused to go and wash them.

Phil wasn't sure how long he had been waiting when he spotted the doctor coming down the hallway. An icy hand seized his heart and he had to fight to remember how to breathe. His legs refused to support him so he remained seated as the man came up to them.

"Mr. Palmfeather?'

"Yeah?"

"Your friend is going to be okay."

The rest of what the man had to say was drowned out by a rushing sound in his head as relief overwhelmed him. He dragged his attention back to the doctor and said:

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"I said, she's very lucky that you got to her when you did. Whoever attacked her sure did a number on her."

"How badly was she injured?"

"The knife missed everything vital but she no longer has a spleen, how it missed her heart is a miracle. There are four broken ribs, her nose is cracked and there is some bruising on the inside. We had to go in and wire the ribs together to make sure that they didn't collapse a lung. Her mouth is pretty cut up on the inside and there seems to be a tooth missing as well. Nothing life threatening but she's going to be really sore for a while since she's black and blue from one end to the other. There seems to be earlier wounds on her as well, the burns on her hands and that shoulder injury – they were aggravated during the struggle."

"But she's going to be okay?" asked Phil tremulously. "In spite of all that?"

"She's going to be fine. With rest and time, she'll be as good as new."

"Thank you Doctor." Said Phil, enthusiastically pumping his hand.

"It's a pleasure, now I have to go and look in on my other patients. Why don't you go and get some sleep, she wont be waking up until tomorrow morning anyway."

The doctor gently disentangled his hand from Phil's and was soon out of sight along the corridor. Phil turned to the team beaming a smile so bright, he could have powered a small town.

"You hear that gang, she's going to be okay!"

"Yeah, beautiful, lets have a parade." Snapped Duke as he bounced himself off of the wall and stalked past them in the direction of the outside doors.

Phil was brought up short by Duke's rude comment and abrupt departure. He turned to Wing in confusion and asked:

"What's wrong with him? I thought that he'd be happy she's going to be okay."

"I think Duke's feeling guilty."

"Why?" said Phil, astounded. "I mean, if it wasn't for him and his quick thinking, we'd never have found her in time to save her."

"I know, but I don't think that he sees it that way."

"Somehow, I don't think that Red will see it that way either." Added Phil darkly.

"What do you mean?"

"I know why she was there, what she was doing. And it's so wrong that it just makes me sick." Said Phil in a tone laced with an icy anger.

"What was she doing?" asked Dive.

"She thought that she was protecting Willy and myself. I don't know if Jack threatened you guys since she hasn't really been seen with you, but if he did, then she was trying to protect you as well."

"How?" asked a very confused Dive.

"By letting Jack kill her for revenge, since she killed Mouse."

"But that was an accident!" exclaimed Tanya.

"I know, but Jack doesn't see it that way. I guess when it's your family, there are different rules to play by."

Wing thought about that and knew that as a brother, he could see Jacks need for revenge. If anyone hurt Dive or got him hurt, who knows what he would do to them.

"But why is Duke feeling guilty?" asked Mal. "I mean, it's not like the two of them are friends or anything, what makes him so attached to her?"

And that was exactly what Duke was asking himself as he wandered around the parking lot, buffeted by a strong wind that was bringing in more rain clouds.

"Why do I care so much about what happens to her? She's threatened to kill me twice and isn't the easiest person to talk to. So why do I care? "He asked the wind as it eddied around him.

But the wind wasn't doing requests that day and he had to figure it out on his own. He wandered into the hospital gardens and soon spied a bench tucked under a willow tree and settled on it to have a good think about why he wasn't in control of his feelings like he usually was.

He thought about all the people he had met since landing on the planet and he had to admit, there was very few that he actually liked. The others had made friends fairly easily, something he was glad for since it always helped to have friends no matter what planet you were on.

The kid's got those two friends at the comic shop, strange as they are, they still stick by 'im.

Tanya and Mal know those girls from the mall that they see almost every week and Tanya's buddy buddy with the guy at Lectric Land.

Wing don't broadcast it but he knows some of that crowd at the library, they meet every month to talk 'bout books they've read.

Grin's a quiet one, but even he has a few friends. I've seen them talking outside that funny smellin' shop where he got his crystals.

'An we all know Phil so that kinda takes him outta the equation, leavin' me with what? A sword an' a eye-patch an' a very empty social calendar.

"Feeling sorry for ya'self L'orange?" he asked himself out loud.

With a wry smile he had to admit that he was feeling a little lonely and since he was in such an honest frame of mind, he had to admit that he liked Red. She had guts and he admired that in any one, no matter what species they were.

She said that she liked you. Whispered a memory from the back of his mind.

"Oh yeah?" he shouted out to the empty garden. "An she also said that she didn't want my blood on her hands."

He looked down at his hands, stained rusty with her blood.

"Whose blood is on who's hands?" he wondered aloud.

Staring at the maroon stains, he could feel the confusion running through him but he couldn't avoid the others forever. With his mind still unsettled, he made his way back to the waiting area where the team were still sitting with Phil.

"I'm, ah, sorry that I snapped at ya Phil." he said sheepishly.

"It's okay Duke."

"So now what?" asked Mal, eager to get out of the hospital.

"We go home and get some rest, although it wont be much since it is nearly midnight." Said Wing.

They started up the corridor but the sound of Duke clearing his throat brought them up short. Wing turned to him.

"What's up Duke?"

"I ain't goin' with ya, I'm gonna stay here till she's awake."

"But that wont be until tomorrow morning." Said Phil. "You played watched the last time she ended up here – let me do this."

"Nope." Said Duke firmly. "I wanna be there when she comes to, who knows what frame of mind she's gonna be in."

Phil thought about it and realized that he was right, Red could very well try and finish what Jack started. He stepped out of the group to join Duke.

"I think I'll stay here as well, we can take turns."

"You sure?" asked Wing. "You guys are not going to get a lot of rest."

"We'll live." Said Phil. "Now get out of here."

They watched the team leave and then walked down the corridor to Red's room. Before they went in, Phil turned to Duke and said:

"I know you feel like this was your fault, but it isn't."

"I shouldn't have been so harsh with her, I should have seen the warning signs."

"Duke, if anyone should have noticed anything, it should have been me. And besides, you did notice and you did something about it. If you hadn't have bugged her shoes, we would never have found her."

Duke tugged on his fringed and sighed. He knew Phil was right, but it still didn't make him feel any less responsible for injuring her. He was purposely ignoring the fact that she had leaned onto the blade.

"I shouldn't have threatened her like that. If I hadn't pulled out the blade, then she wouldn't have gotten cut."

Phil put his hands on his hips and spoke in a very firm voice.

"Duke, we both have to face up to the fact that when Jack didn't finish the job, she tried to kill herself. Whether it was on your blade or Willy's kitchen knife, she still would have tried. All I can do is be grateful that you were there to stop her."

"But..."

"But nothing. Your intuition saved her life and that's the bottom line."

"I just can't but feel somehow responsible."

"You're not responsible for any of it." Said Phil, wearily shaking his head. "I know who's responsible for her feeling this way."

"Who?"

"Jenna."

"What do you mean?"

"No matter what Ray told Jenna, she should have given Red the benefit of the doubt but she never did. There was never any leniency for Red in that woman's heart and I doubt that there ever will."

"You've met her?"

"Yeah, we had dinner with them one night, when I first started working with Ray. The grandfather's okay, a little henpecked but okay. But it's that woman that's caused Red to be eaten alive by guilt."

Duke thought about what Phil had told him and realized that he was right, neither of them were responsible for what Red had done. A weight lifted off of his shoulders and he looked up at Phil to see the same relief that he felt reflected in his eyes.

For a moment the two men stared at each other and then Phil asked:

"Duke, if I can ask, why do you feel so responsible for Red?"

Duke grinned wryly, understanding coming at last and said:

"I like her, she reminds me of someone, and I know that if she's anything like that person, she needs someone to look out for her, whether she's willing to admit it or not."

Phil nodded slowly, sure that he knew who Duke was talking about but needing confirmation, he asked:

"And who would that be?"

Duke turned into the room but not before Phil heard him say softly:

"Me."

Mal tossed her pillow across the room in frustration and then covered her face with her hands and groaned softly. Sleep had been eluding her since they had gone to bed and she could feel that it would continue to hide until the sun came up.

Then again, maybe it's a good thing that I can't sleep. She thought.

The waiting in the hospital had dragged out memories that she'd rather keep buried but since things never seemed to work that way, they had been coming to the front of her mind all evening.

She was contemplating going to the kitchen to see if a warm drink would settle her mind when there was a soft tapping at the door. She glanced at the clock: 2:15 AM.

If this is one of Nosedive's pranks I'm gonna nail him to the wall.

She rolled off of the bed and snagged up her robe on the way to the door. Opening it a crack she hissed:

"Nosedive you are so dead!"

"Mal, it's me."

"Wing?" she asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

Before he could answer, she opened the door some more, grabbed his arm and yanked him inside her room. The door closed behind him so fast he wondered if all his tail feathers were still intact.

Mal turned on her lamp and turned to Wing, wrapping her robe more securely around herself.

"Wing, what's wrong?"

"I actually came to ask you that question. I heard a thump from your room and I wondered if you were okay. I noticed that you seemed really uncomfortable in the hospital tonight."

Mal grinned sheepishly and said:

"The thump was my pillow hitting the wall. I couldn't sleep so I tossed it in frustration. Sorry to wake you."

"I'm a light sleeper." He shrugged. "Dive is the heavy sleeper in the family."

"Well, I'm fine so you can go back to bed." She said, beginning to get uncomfortable with his concern.

Wing regarded her thoughtfully, noting how the amber glow of the lamp highlighted the crimson in her tousled hair. Then he noticed how tousled it was and he asked:

"Looks like you were having a rough time, why couldn't you sleep?"

Avoiding his eyes, Mal bit her lip, wondering how much she could tell him without spilling her entire life story. Talking about herself and her feeling were never really high on her list of things that she enjoyed.

"Mal?" he asked softly. "Are you okay?"

The tenderness in his voice was her undoing and she realized that she wasn't okay and that she hadn't been for a long time. Shaking her head in the negative, she placed a hand across her mouth to prevent the sounds of her pain escaping.

As she battled to keep her sobs inside, Mal felt Wings arms slide around her and gently tug her in the direction of her bed. Before she could say anything, she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning against Wing's chest.

"Let it out Mal, you shouldn't keep this inside." He murmured.

His permission was all that Mal needed to let go. With harsh and ugly sobs, she clung to him as she cried out all her pain and frustrations. He let her cry, rubbing her back gently and making soft soothing noises.

It took a while for Mal's tears to dry up and by the time she was down, Wing had a large wet patch on his pajama top. She sat up and sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. She looked at the wet spot and then up at him and grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry Wing, I seem to have leaked on you."

"S'okay, as long as you're feeling better."

"I do, sort of." She nodded and then stood up, heading towards the bathroom. "I want to wash my face, it's itching."

When she came out, Wing had gotten up from the bed and was looking at the photos that Mal had arranged on her bedside table. They were of her family and of the unit that she trained with in the military academy.

"Want to talk about it" he asked her.

"What about your sleep?" she protested.

"I'm good, just worried about you." He insisted. "You listened the last time I needed to talk so it's my turn now."

"Can we do it over coffee?" she asked, tugging on her slippers.

"Sure."

The pair slipped silently out of her room and made their way to the kitchen where Wing turned on the coffee machine while Mal got the cups and spoons. Soon they were sitting face to face at the table, each cupping a steaming mug.

"So Mal, care to share?"

Mal bit her lip and wondered how to put her problems out there without sounding liked a scared duckling. Biting the bullet, she took a deep breath and said quickly:

"I miss my family and friends, I'm homesick."

Phil was standing next to the bed, watching Red sleep when she stirred for the first time. She shifted and mumbled but didn't open her eyes. After a moment, she settled down again and was still. He glanced at Duke who was catching forty winks in his chair and then turned his attention back to her.

Dark purple bruises were beginning to show all around her eyes and along her jaw line. The nurses had cleaned her up as much as possible but there was still a smear of blood on the corner of her mouth where the lips were split. Phil rummaged in his pocket for his handkerchief and dipped it in the glass of water next to the bed. Gently he wiped away the blood and replaced the cloth in his pocket. Her arms were outside the sheet and her bandaged hands were palms up with the fingers loosely curled. He gently picked up one of them and held it.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Deep inside her head, Red didn't hear Phil's whispers. She didn't hear the monitor that was echoing her steady heartbeat. She had pulled herself deep into her mind and was surrounded by blackness and smothered in silence. In that stygian cell, she knew how far she was away from reality and she wondered if there was anything worth coming back for.


	35. More trouble

A/N: Yes, I have been a little wrapped up in Red. I tend to do that to my own creations. Sorry guys. And I am also sorry that it has taken so long for an update but life sometimes has to take first priority. I'll try and tidy up my mess and then carry on with the more interesting threads of this story. I have made a time jump but it'll spare you the needless details of Red.

Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit. Go away.

Chapter 35

It had been five weeks since the Duck's lives had been turned upside down and things were far from normal. Dragonus had been making their lives a misery with repeated attacks in various locations, several times a day. There was no logical explanation for the locations that he had targeted and Wing finally came to the conclusion that the Saurian was trying to wear them down and make them careless.

They had resorted to sleeping in shifts, with constant patrols in the city. All in all, things were beginning to feel like they had during the war on Puckworld and the strain was showing. Duke had turned broody and although he was always available in an emergency, he was nowhere to be found during times of rest or meals. Mallory's usually short fuse was nearly nonexistent and the team had to tiptoe around her. Tanya holed up in the lab, ignoring things and people around her unless it was her turn to patrol. She was determined to make something that would find the Raptor and end the siege that they were under. Grin was also secluding himself from the group and spending more and more time in meditation, trying to shut out the memories that were crowding in. Unfortunately, Dive was not so lucky and every time he slept, he was plagued by nightmares and memories of the war and the work camps. Wing had his hands full with his baby brother and trying to keep the team functioning. They had become splintered and separated and he was desperate for a solution.

Klegghorn had finally seen the light after coming face to face with Dragonus during one of the Saurian attacks and had agreed to lend the Ducks all the support that he could spare, but that wasn't much since there were still the human criminals crawling around the city. The press hadn't gotten wind of the Saurians existence but they were constantly reporting on the sudden crime wave, working on a theory that there was a new crime lord in town.

There was no way that the team could play with the strain that they were under and Phil had bitten the bullet and released them from their contractual obligation to finish playing the season. He had released a statement citing personal reasons for the team withdrawing from all matches until further notice. This did not go down well with the fans or the merchandisers and their wallets were feeling the strain as well. On top of that, he had been in and out of court with Marcus's trial. The entire group was dispirited and stretched to the breaking point and it was only a matter of time before things came to a head.

Tanya threw her glasses down on the worktable and rubbed at her eyes. Despite all her natural genius and advanced training, she had not been able to come up with a way to track the raptor or the Saurians unless they were in motion, and by then it was already too late. She knew that she was missing something and that the solution to her problem was staring her in the face but she kept missing it. Growling in frustration she wadded up the papers that she had been scribbling on and tossed it into the trash. A pneumatic hiss behind her alerted her to the entrance of some one into her lab and she turned to see Grin coming towards her with a sandwich.

"Not now, I'm busy." She said curtly.

"If you don't feed the body, the mind wont work." said Grin.

"Stow it, I'm not in the mood for philosophy." She snapped.

Grin was a little hurt by her abrasive attitude but knew that she was putting herself under pressure to come up with a solution. He tried to offer another snippet of advice.

"If you clear the table and your mind, perhaps you would see things differently?"

Grin's well-intentioned advice was the final straw and Tanya's temper overtook her common sense and she rounded on Grin, with murder in her eyes.

"Clear my table huh? Clear my mind huh?" she shouted. "Well I think I'll do just that!"

With those words she started sweeping things off the bench into the wastebasket that she had snatched up. Tools, papers, components – none of it was spared until the workbench was a clean as the day it had been made. But she didn't stop there.

"Oh look," she sneered at the very startled Grin. "There are things up on the walls, lets clear them off too."

Before he could stop her, she frantically began to snatch her charts and maps off of the walls and stuff them into the bulging basket.

"Tanya, stop. This is not what I meant." Said Grin, putting the sandwich on the table.

He took hold of her shoulders so that he could turn her around to face him but she brushed off his hand and reached out for the next poster in line. But as she started to tear it off the wall, she stopped as if frozen.

Grin stood beside her to take a look at what had made her stop so suddenly. It was a periodic table of Earth's elements. She had been comparing them to the Puck world equivalents and had almost finished. She stood stock still, staring at the table and Grin could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"Of course!" she shouted, slapping a hand to her forehead. "It was literally staring me in the face this whole time and I never noticed."

"What was?" asked Grin cautiously.

She turned and looked up at him, her eyes shining with excitement. Then she threw her arms around him and said:

"I owe you an apology but I'll make it up to you later. Right now, I have to work. I know how to find the Raptor. Don't ask me yet, no time to explain."

With that rather vague explanation, she gave him a shove in the general direction of the door and turned towards her computer, already lost in her science. Grin smiled and quietly left, leaving the sandwich on the table. As he went through the door, he watched her absently lift it to her lips.

Mal had lost count of how many sit ups she had managed but she knew it wasn't enough. Her muscles were burning but she wasn't ready to quit. The punch-bag was lying on its side with sand dribbling out of a split seam. No matter what she did, she couldn't rid herself of the rage that was inside her heart. But better to work herself into exhaustion so that she could sleep without dreaming. And the longer she stayed in the gym, the less she saw of Wild Wing, and the less he bore the brunt of her temper. She knew that she had been using him as an emotional punch-bag but was unable to help herself. So before she could do any lasting damage to their relationship or any of her friendships with the others, she shut herself up in the gym.

In the TV room, Dive had been watching TV, trying in vain to stay awake. But the young teen had reached the limits of his stamina and had fallen asleep despite his best efforts not to. To him, sleep was a doorway through which he was tormented and reminded that he was alive, and others were not.

Dive flew off the couch, fighting off invisible enemies. A scream was trapped in his throat and the sweat was pouring off his face. In his sleep-fogged mind, he was still back in the work camps, watching his friends and family members suffer and die. Then some one touched him from behind and he turned around swinging.

Wild Wing had been sitting on the sofa next to Dive as he dozed but when he flew off the sofa, he followed, intent on shaking him out of his nightmare. He touched his brother's shoulder and had to duck as Dive turned around with swinging fists. Dodging the first blow, he reached out and gripped the teen around the shoulders and shook him gently.

"Dive, it's me, Wing. Wake up, you're dreaming."

Dive snapped around and saw his brother's haggard face in front of him. He tried to push back the flood of memories and haze of sleep and focus on his brother's voice but somehow, could not make sense of the words coming out of his mouth. The more he tried, the more confused he became until things became a whirl of colour and sound that was quickly replaced with a black void.

Wild grabbed Dive as he fainted and hugged him close to his chest. The Saurian tactics were working and he hated Dragonus for being able to hurt his family and friends even without laying a finger on them. He was still standing there with his brother clasped to him when the door opened and Duke came in.

"Another nightmare?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, but this time he couldn't come out of it. He fainted."

Duke looked at the brothers and said:

"Go put him to bed and then sleep some yourself."

"But what about Dragonus? He might make another strike."

"And he might not. This is just what he wants, us pulled so tight that we can't function."

"He's succeeding." Said Wing sadly. "And I'm letting it happen."

"How?" Asked Duke. "Are you hanging out signs that say: Saurians welcome?"

"No, but…"

"But nothing. There is no way that you could have known this was coming and we have done everything we can to stop him."

"But…"

"But nothing. Go to bed Wing and take your brother with you. I'll monitor. Go."

Duke shooed Wing out the door and as soon as he was gone, sat down heavily on the sofa. Rubbing at his eye patch, he felt the weariness creeping along his bones.

"Face it L'Orange." He muttered to himself. "You ain't as young as ya used to be."

Suddenly the Drake 1 alarm went off and he groaned. Heaving himself off of the sofa he ran to the ready room to see where the lizards were this time.

"How hard can it be to set timers?" asked an exasperated Wraith.

"With the Chameleon, you never know." Said Siege with a shrug. "At least if he does it wrong, we aren't in the blast radius."

The two were standing on the roof of a bakery while they waited for Chameleon to set explosives in the adjacent building, which happened to be a soap factory. Once the explosives were in place, they would attract the attention of the ducks with the used of hunter drones.

A flash of green light next to Siege alerted them that the Chameleon had finished his task without blowing himself sky high. Wraith clicked his tongue in disappointment and activated the hunter drones.

"Now we wait." He sighed.

Wing looked at the screen, trying to get a fix on the drone's location. He had made sure that Dive was resting in their room and Tanya had called him on the COM to tell him that she was close to a solution and could she sit this one out.

"Okay team." He said. "We're two men short this time and we have to have our wits about us. They're in the soap factory in the industrial area and we know that there's going to be hunter drones. No fancy stuff, just a sweep to make sure that there aren't civilians in there and then we blast them to pieces. Got it?"

The team nodded and they ran to the garage where the Migrator was waiting.

It was a good thing that they were on the right side of Klegghorn since Duke must have racked up at least five traffic violations during the frantic drive to the factory. Upon their arrival, they were greeted with a squad of drones that were intent on keeping them in the Migrator. Duke said a prayer that Tanya wouldn't hurt him too much and mashed down on the gas pedal, ramming the large vehicle through the hovering robots. Saurian technology was good but couldn't stand up to Tanya's expert engineering and the drones were tossed aside, dented and sparking.

The vehicle screeched to a halt inside the loading bay of the factory and the ducks piled out. Using the mask, Wing did a sweep of the building and confirmed that there were no civilians inside.

"So what exactly did Draggy want with this place?" demanded Mallory. "I know he stinks but all the soap on the planet wont solve that!"

"I don't so either, but I got a bad feelin' 'bout this, I think we'd better book." Said Duke, peering suspiciously into corners.

"I think that's a really good idea." Said Wing, as a beeping noise starting coming from the ceiling.

They made a mad dash for the Migrator but before they were safely inside, the building was shaken with a massive explosion and the roof began to fall, with two more floors directly behind it.

Wraith pushed the detonator button gleefully, hoping that the ducks would be mashed beyond recognition. The three watched as the opposite building first shook and then started to collapse inwards. They kept watching until the last of the shattered masonry had stopped moving. There was a cloud of choking cement dust hovering in the air and the sound of various alarms that had been triggered by the blast. In the distance, they could hear the sirens of approaching rescue vehicles and other authorities.

Inside the ruined building, the ceiling had formed a heap of rubble in the main area of the loading bay. It began to shake and shiver and then a slab of reinforced concrete was heaved aside by Grin. He had supported it as the roof fell in and the others had been huddling underneath it. Thanks to his prodigious strength, they had managed to escape certain maceration.

"Every one okay, any injuries?" demanded Wing as he clambered out of the pile.

"I'm fine, just scraped." Said Duke, spitting in the opposite direction to rid his mouth of the gritty powder.

"Just bruised." Said Grin, examining his hands, where the concrete had left livid marks.

"Mal, you okay?" asked Wing.

When no answer came, he leapt back into the pile and stared frantically digging. He soon found Mal under the smaller rubble, coated with white powder and unmoving. He dropped to his knees beside her, heedless of the sharp fragments digging into his knees.

"Mal, Mal, wake up!" he called loudly, resisting the urge to shake her in case she was injured inside.

He was rewarded with a soft groan and then she opened her eyes and looked up at him, confused.

"What happened?" she croaked, dust filling her throat and mouth.

"It was a trap, but we're okay. How about you?"

She stayed quiet for a moment and then said:

"I think I'm fine, just help me up."

Wing put his arms around her and help her gingerly to her feet. Once standing, she ran her hands down her arms and legs, checking for injuries. She was fine.

"Okay, lets get out of here before anything else happens."

"Uh, Wing, that's going to be a bit of a problem." Said Duke, pointing at the Migrator.

It had not been as lucky as they were and had been blown onto its side by the blast. A chunk of roof had fallen directly on its center and the vehicle was now completely crushed.

"Tanya is not going to be happy about this." Said Grin mournfully.

"That's an understatement." Said Duke shaking his head, thinking that the scratches he had made with the drones was now a moot point.

"Okay, lets get moving team." Said Wing. "But carefully, the mask shows that this place isn't structurally sound at all."

"Ya think?" said Duke sourly.

They picked their way across the rubble and started towards the exits, but they had collapsed as well. It looked like there was going to be only one way out of there and that was up, through the hole in the roof.

"How we going to get up there?" asked Mal.

"I can get up, but that's by myself." Said Duke. "I dunno know about getting' you up there."

"Maybe there's some rope in the wreck of the Migrator." Said Wing. "If you secure it up there, we'd have something to climb up with."

"Okay." said Duke. "Let's go find some rope."

The search of the wrecked vehicle didn't produce any rope, but Grin managed to find the steel winch cable that was in the back section. It would be tough on the hands but it was better than nothing.

Duke coiled the cable over his shoulder and shot his grappling hook up towards daylight. It caught and he began to scale the torn up walls. He soon reached the top and secured the cable to a piece of steel reinforcement that was jutting out of the wall. Throwing it down to his friends below, he called down:

"One at a time, I'll hold it steady up here, if one of you can hold it down there."

"I'll do that." said Grin.

Mal tore the bottom of her shirt off and Wing's eyebrows hit the roof. She grinned at his expression and wrapped the fabric strips around her hands.

"I suggest you close your mouth and do the same." She teased before getting a grip on the cable. Wing shook his head ruefully and followed her advice. He watched her scale the cable with remarkable ease and remembered that she had been through boot camp. There, rope climbing was part of the daily routine.

"Your next Grin." Said Wing, pointing at the cable as Duke helped Mallory up the last few feet.

'But…"

"Go Grin." Ordered Wing. "Remember the rule: First in, last out."

Grin bowed his head to Wing and seized the cable. His hand over hand pulls soon had him level with the waiting pair on the roof. While he was waiting for Grin to climb up, Wing remembered who had taught him that rule, Canard.

"The leader is first in and the last out." he had always said during one of their missions back on Puckworld.

Wing wondered what had become of his friend and then mentally shook himself out of his musings and took hold of the cable. He was about to start climbing when the cable moved and he realized that Grin and the others were pulling him to the top. Three pairs of willing hands helped him onto the roof and he looked at his teammates.

"Thanks guys." He said, the words carrying more meaning than simple gratitude.

"Any time boss, now lets get outta here." said Duke with a wink, or what passed for wink with him.

"What?" roared Siege. "It can't be!"

"What's up buddy?" asked Chameleon.

"Take a look over there." said the orange reptile, handing over the binoculars that he had been using. Chameleon took them and trained them on the wrecked building. His heart sank when he saw the avians standing on what was left of the roof. They were clearly all okay despite being a bit banged up and covered in filth.

"The boss ain't gonna like this." He whined.

"Well I will not be the one to tell him." Said Wraith firmly. He stamped his staff three times on the floor and vanished in a swirl of smoke.

"Oh great!" grumbled Siege. "He runs off and leaves us holding the bag."

"We'd better get this over with." Said Chameleon with a sigh, not relishing the roasting that they were going to get from Dragonus when they made their report.

The two teleported off of the roof and back to the Raptor.

Fifteen minutes later they were standing in front of Dragonus and had completed their report. Chameleon watched as smoke curled out of his nostrils, a sure sign that he was displeased, and waited for the traditional temper tantrum that always followed a report of failure. But it never came.

"And you're sure that there were only the four of them." asked Dragonus for the third time.

"Positive. We watched them get out."

"That means that the plan is working. Not as fast as I would have liked, but it is working. The strain has already taken two of them out of the unit. One by one, they will succumb to the strain and then this miserable city will be mine."

Wraith and Siege exchanged a glance, not sure what was going on but glad that for once, they were not getting chewed out from all directions.

Wing and the gang caught a cab back to the Pond, no one really willing to face Tanya's wrath when she found out about her beloved Migrator. They were standing, waiting for the elevator when Phil came shuffling out of his office.

"Hey guys." He said tiredly, taking in their appearances. "Another strike?"

"Yeah. The only thing that got totaled was a soap factory." Said Duke.

"A soap factory," said Phil incredulously. "And you look like that?"

"Very funny." Snapped Mallory. "You get a building dropped on your head and see what you look like."

"Hey, just trying to lighten the mood." Said Phil, backing off with his hands in the air.

"Now isn't the time for jokes." She said and turned her back on him.

The elevator arrived and the weary avians stepped inside. Wing looked at Phil and asked:

"Was there something that you wanted Phil?"

"I just wanted to let you know that they hand down the judgement today, on both cases."

Wing wanted to slap his forehead when he remembered that the trials of Marcus and Jack were nearly completed. He looked at Phil and asked:

"Do you want us to be there?"

"It's okay guys, you have to rest up. I'll let you know how things turn out later today."

He turned and walked slowly down the hallway with bowed shoulders as the elevator doors closed behind him.

The doors opened to reveal an impatient Tanya pacing the ready room. She stopped short when she saw her battered friends and ran up to them.

"Guy's, what happened?"

"It was a trap." Said Mal sourly.

"Tell me in the infirmary." Said Tanya firmly as she shooed them all in the direction of their least favorite place.

While she patched up their scrapes and bruises, they told her the story, including the demise of the Migrator.

"Oh well." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to build another one."

"You're taking this better than I thought you would." Said Wing, expecting tears and threats.

"I have some news that makes the loss of the Migrator small potatoes." She said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"What's that?"

"I know how to find the Raptor!" she said triumphantly.


	36. New developments

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks aren't mine. (Wish they were.)

A/N: Still trying to get this right. Please review, I need a bit of feed back on this since it's been a while. I have no clue on prisons or care centers so if my information is off, please forgive me.

Chapter 36

Wing stared at Tanya who was practically dancing with excitement and had to smile, even if it was a tired smile. He walked over to the nearest chair, eager to hear the latest development but too tired to stand while listening. The others took their cue from him and stayed on the various beds or chairs they had been in while their injuries were being attended to.

"So what have you come up with?" asked Wing, daring to hope.

"Okay, it's kinda complicated but I'll simplify it for you. The Raptor uses energy for its engines, but it uses the Saurian element Dernia for the cloaking shield generator. That element has an equivalent here on earth, copper. When the generator runs, it puts out a gaseous byproduct. All I have to do is find an element that reacts with copper and use it to track the gas emissions."

"How do you know that the Raptor makes those emissions?" asked Mal.

"Every engine has a tailpipe." Smirked Tanya. "They have to blow off the gas or they'll explode."

"Like Dive when he's had one too many triple spicy tacos." Said Wing wryly.

The rest of them cracked up at that statement and some of the tension that they had been living under dissipated.

"So how long before you come up with the right element or chemical?" asked Wing, not wanting to put undue pressure on Tanya but desperate to end the nightmare.

"About a day, I already have some things brewing in the lab." Said Tanya. "Speaking of that, I should get back to them to see how I'm coming along."

She waved at them as she left the infirmary and headed off to her lab. Grin waited a moment and then rose, saying:

"I feel the flow of positive energy resuming. I will meditate on this."

"I got some thinkin of my own ta do. Call me if ya need me." Said Duke as he followed Grin out the door.

That left Wing and Mal looking at each other. Neither wanted to say anything, remembering the tension of the last few weeks and their resultant arguments. For a long while they sat in silence while Wing looked into corners and Mal fidgeted.

"Oh this is ridiculous!" said Mal in exasperation.

She stood up from her chair, walked over to Wing and planted herself firmly in his lap, face to face. For a brief moment, Wing was startled by Mal straddling his waist and then he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

"I missed you."

His words were muffled by her feathers but she heard him clearly enough. Tightening her grip on him she whispered in his ear:

"I missed you too. And I'm sorry."

Wing lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

"Me too." He said, right before he captured her mouth with his own.

Duke was on the roof of the Pond, watching the sun make it's way across the sky. He had been up there so many times since the new strategy from Dragonus, he had dragged an old cushion up there so he could sit comfortably. A cork target on the opposite wall was well scarred and stood as a testament to his deadly accurate aim with a throwing knife. Whenever he needed to think, his hands needed something sharp to play with.

He was aiming a plain steel blade at the target when he heard the screeching of tires in the street. Curious he stood up to get a look at what was going on and he was surprised to see Phil racing into the parking lot. Then he looked behind him and realized the reason for his reckless speed. There were newspaper vans behind him and other cars that were most likely press related.

"The gang ain't' gonna like this." He groaned out loud as he went back inside so he could help Phil fend off the press.

Phil wrenched up the parking brake and flung open the car door. Hastily locking it behind him, he started a dash towards the Pond as the first of the press vans careered into the lot. Relief flooded through him as he saw Duke holding the doors open. He ran past him and leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath as Duke swung the doors closed and locked them. A few seconds later, there was a hammering from the outside and Duke looked at Phil.

"I take it they wanna talk about the verdicts huh?"

"Something like that." gasped Phil.

"Come on down to the base, looks like we've all got news to share."

The two of them walked off to the elevators and descended to the base.

It was nearly an hour and a half before they managed to round up the whole team again so that they could bring Phil up to speed. Tanya was holed up in the lab, completely absorbed in her chemical brews and could not be disturbed. Grin was meditating in his room and would not be disturbed. Dive was still sleeping and Wing and Mal were locked in her room.

Phil and Duke waited for the team in the TV room where they caught some great footage of Phil's getaway from the courthouse and into the Pond. But before the newsreader could announce the trial results, Duke flipped the channel to some or other lame cartoon.

Soon after, the others began trailing in, Grin looking calm (Does he ever look otherwise), Dive, who was scratching at his head and trying to rub his eyes at the same time. Wing and Mal came in together, trying to look casual and failing miserably. Tanya was the last to arrive and she was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's up with the grin Tanya?" asked Dive.

"I know how to find them." she said in a sing song tone.

"That's great!" exclaimed Wing.

"Find who?" asked Phil, as confused as Dive.

Tanya quickly brought them up to speed on the latest developments and then turned to Wing and said:

"And now I have the compound that'll show the venting of the Raptor. All we have to do is disperse it into the air and wait for a chemical reaction."

"That's great Tanya." Said Wing. "But before we start making battle plans, I think that Phil has some news for us as well."

"Yeah." He said. "They handed down the judgements on both trials today. Marcus is going to be sent to the local correctional facility here in California, he got ten years for fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion."

"What about Jack?" asked Duke harshly.

"He got a life sentence. It seems that Klegghorn has had a file on this guy about three inches thick. Everything from drugs to murder, with that and his recent behavior, they managed to throw the book at him. He's already been sent out to the maximum security place outside of Las Vegas somewhere."

"That's a good thing right?" asked Mal.

"Yeah. Means he'll never see the streets of Anaheim ever again."

"Good." said Wing, glad that justice still came to the top.

"Have you told…" Mal's question trailed off into an uncomfortable silence.

Phil rubbed his eyes and looked at his hands.

"No, not yet."

Silence ruled for a moment and then Tanya spoke up.

"You should tell her. Maybe this is the kind of thing she needs to hear y'know."

"Do you honestly think that she can hear me?" asked Phil tiredly. "I mean, there hasn't been a reaction since…"

"The doctor said that she can hear everything." Said Wing. "Maybe she's just waiting to hear the right thing."

"He's right." Agreed Tanya. "This means closure on the whole thing. Maybe this is the thing she needs to hear to…to bring her back."

Phil stood up and straightened his tie. He looked at the gang and said:

"I'm really glad that things are looking up for you. Right now, I'm going to go and see her, tell her the good news."

"I'll go with ya." Said Duke suddenly. "That's if Wing doesn't need me here."

"No." said Wing, shaking his head. "I want to think before we start planning. Go and see her, tell her we say hi."

Duke and Phil left the room and headed for the lift. Back in the TV room, Tanya looked up suddenly and said:

"You know what, I'm hungry."

"That's my line!" said Dive indignantly.

Grin laughed at that one and the others soon joined in.

"Let's get you guys fed." Said Wing, fondly ruffling Dives hair.

The younger duck wrapped his hands over his messy hair and said:

"Watch the do Bro, this is the latest look in relieved."

That triggered another round of laughter and it followed them to the kitchen.

Things are really looking up for us now. Let's hope my plan doesn't leave them hating me. Thought Wing as he watched Mal threaten Dive with the can opener.

He hid his thoughts and laughed in spite of himself as Tanya stuck two lettuce leaves up from behind Grin's head.

Duke and Phil were silent during their drive to the center. Duke was watching the trees flash by as the car drove up the long drive. They passed a stone-engraved sign as they went through the gates and Duke sighed as he read it again.

Silver Streams Long Term Care Facility

Phil parked the car in front of a three-story building, with lush lawns, colorful flowerbeds and surrounded by towering pine trees. It looked just like the name suggested:

Serene, tranquil and caring – everything a hospital should be.

Going through the lobby, Phil waved at the desk clerk who recognized him straight away. They took the lift to the second floor where the day matron greeted them from the front desk.

"Mr. Palmfeather, Duke. Nice to see you two today."

"Hi Mrs. Brown. Thought we'd come and see how she's doing."

"No change I'm afraid." She said sadly.

"We have some news." Said Duke. "Maybe it'll perk her up."

"You never know my dear, you never know." She said, patting him on the arm.

The two made their way down the hallway and stopped in front of a closed pine door. Tapping softly, Phil pushed the door open and they stepped inside, Duke closing the door behind him. The sunlight shone gently through the windows and spilled across the plush carpeted floor, the comfortable looking sofa and the bed.

Mrs. Brown was right, there had been no change since either of them had last seen her.

Red was lying on her back in the hospital issue bed with her arms outside the covers. The guardrails were up and the covers were without wrinkles. A thin tube snaked its way from the stand attached to the bed and into her nose. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell with the regular breathing of someone who was deeply asleep, or in a five-week coma.


	37. Even more trouble

Disclaimer?

A/N: This isn't very long but I wanted to get some more added. It's close to the end and I don't want to spoil it by rushing. Please be a little more patient.

Chapter 37

Duke took a good look at Phil and decided that he needed some time alone with Red. He cleared his throat to get Phil's attention and said:

"I'm gonna go down the hall and get somethin to drink. You want anything?"

"Yeah, a coffee would go down pretty good."

"Sure." Nodded Duke, slipping out the door, closing it behind him.

Phil walked over to the bed and pulled up the visitor's chair. He reached through the rails and lifted one of her hands into his own.

"Hi there." He said softly, not sure what to say. "You're still looking good."

Phil felt ridiculous, trying to make conversation with her. He still had not become completely comfortable with being around her and thought back to when they had first brought her to the care home.

She had never woken up from the surgery to repair the damage done by Jack and Duke. They had tried various treatments and there had been countless tests and doctors examinations but nothing could pin point the cause of her coma. Eventually they had brought in a psychologist and after he had interviewed them all, he declared that she had withdrawn into herself as a protection measure and would only emerge when she was good and ready. The hospital had recommended Silver Streams and he had transferred her to there. The costs were not an issue since an anonymous donor had already paid for a year's stay in advance. Phil had his suspicions of the donor's identity but kept it to himself.

They had tried everything that they could think of to bring her out of her self imposed imprisonment but nothing made an impact. Even attempts to provoke her formidable temper proved futile. She was locked in her head and no one had the key. Phil had begun to doubt the doctors when they told him that she could still hear them talking to her and although he kept coming regularly, his visits became shorter and shorter. He felt guilty about it, but didn't know how to deal with it. He hoped that the news he had brought her would stir her since he was losing hope.

"They finished the cases today." He started. "Marcus got a ten year sentence, thanks to your hard work."

Phil let go of her hand and stood up to look down on her, but there was no response, no indication that she had heard him. He doggedly continued.

"Jack was put away for life. He isn't coming back."

He studied her face, desperately hoping that there would be a flicker of reaction, something, anything. There was nothing.

"Red, he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. You can come back to us now, it's all over. Please…"

Phil's voice cracked on the last word and so did his composure. He leaned his head on the rail and began to weep. The tears spilled over his cheeks and onto the sheets, making little dark spots. A few splashed onto her hand but unlike common fairy tales, this did not wake the sleeper.

Since Dive had retired to his and Wing's room to read comics, Wing and Mal had holed up in her room again. They were currently lying on the bed, Wing on his back with Mal next to him resting her head on his chest. He was absently running his fingers through her hair, deep in thought. A sharp poke in his ribs jolted him back to the present and he looked down at Mal, startled.

"What was that for?"

"I spoke to you four times and you didn't hear me." She said.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. "What did you say?"

"I asked you what's wrong? You've been very deep in thought since Tanya told us that she could find the raptor and I'm getting worried about you, brooding isn't good for you."

He smiled at her and said:

"I'm just thinking what all this means, y'know, getting Dragonus at last and maybe going home."

"Why not talk to me about it?"

"I will, as soon as I get it all straight in my head."

"You'd better." She warned. "Or there'll be dire consequences."

"Oh yeah?" he smirked. "Like what?"

"Like this!" she exclaimed, just before she attacked his ribs.

"Oh!" squealed Wing, caught off guard.

He retaliated in kind and soon they were engrossed in a tickle war that led into a pillow fight and ended in other ways that were more enjoyable.

Further down the hallway in Grin's room, Tanya was fighting a losing battle to keep her eyes open. She was lying face down on the futon that he used as a bed while he massaged soothing oil into the stiff muscles of her back. Soft candlelight flickered across the walls and she smiled as she thought about how she ended up in this position.

After they had eaten she had gone back to the lab to make sure that everything was still progressing smoothly. Her neck and back muscles were a mass of screaming tension but she ignored them as she monitored the chemical compounds brewing away. She was nearly done when the doors opened behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Grin entering, holding her robe.

"Are you finished in here?" he asked her before she could ask him why he was wandering around with her clothes.

"Yeah, I'm done." She said, reaching up to rub futilely at the new crick she had just put in her neck.

"Good. Now you will come with me." He said gently but firmly.

She raised an eyebrow at him and said:

"And just where am I going and why are you holding my robe?"

"To the shower and then to my room."

Tanya's eyebrows hit the roof, making him chuckle, a deep rumbling sound that she loved to hear. Before she could say anything else, he clarified his intentions.

"You are in pain. Let me help you."

She smiled at him and took the robe that he was holding out to her. He walked her to the bathroom and then told her to meet him in his room when she was done. The hot water had done little to ease the stiffness in her muscles and she had a pounding headache by the time she tapped on his door.

Entering, she was touched to see her favorite type of candles flickering in a little group on the table. He had dragged his futon to the middle of the room and there were a few glass bottles of oils on the floor next to it. Grin himself was standing by the door and wordlessly gestured for her to take a seat on the futon, which she did. He smiled at her and offered her a cup of steaming herbal tea, which she took. About to open her mouth to speak, she was mildly surprised when he placed a finger gently on her lips and shook his head. She nodded, understanding his need for silence and sipped the tea slowly while he knelt down next to her and started mixing the oils from the bottles in a small bowl.

By the time she had finished the tea, her headache had been replaced by a slight dizziness and a sense of weakness in her limbs. Grin took the empty cup from her hands just before she lost her hold on it and his knowing smile told her that there had been more to the tea than just the basic tealeaves. But she was just too lethargic to care, even when he gently took hold of her and laid her down on her tummy. His tugging on her robe alarmed her for a moment as she realized that she was exposed down to the top of her backside but the relaxed as he picked up the bowl of oil, his intentions clear.

Which brought her back to this moment. He had skillfully kneaded away all the tension and pain of the last two weeks and left a feeling of relaxation in its place. She struggled to open her eyes for the umpteenth time when he leaned down and spoke softly by her ear.

"Sleep, your mind and body needs to heal. I will be hear when you wake."

Tanya didn't even hear the last part of that sentence. The tea combined with the soothing motions of his hands ushered her into a deep and dreamless slumber.

Duke paused outside the door, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. His acute hearing heard the sounds of Phil's grief and he wondered if he should intrude. Deciding that it would be best, he tapped on the door and then entered. Phil was standing with his back to the door, looking out the window. It was now late afternoon and the sun was a deep gold. He turned to face Duke, shoving his handkerchief into his pocket. Duke held out the coffee and Phil took it, grateful that Duke wasn't going to pry.

"Why don't you take a walk in the garden Phil? I'll sit with her for a while."

"That's a good idea, thanks Duke."

Phil took one more look at Red and then left the room, anxious to be alone with his pain. Duke watched him leave and then came up to the bed. He looked at the chair with a thoughtful expression and then lowered the rails on that side of the bed. Taking up Red's hand, he cradled it in both of his. Rubbing his thumbs over her palms, he could feel a fading callus from where she wielded the spanners of her trade. He reached into the bedside drew and pulled out a bottle of cream. It wasn't the first time he had done this for her, just like it wasn't the first time he had visited. Unbeknown to the others, he had been visiting on his own during the night. The staff were already used to his late night visits and thought nothing of them, in fact, Mrs. Brown encouraged them.

Finishing with her hands, he put the cream on the side table and started speaking to her.

"I know I keep coming here and I tell you everything that's going on. Phil must've already told you about the cases so I ain't gonna repeat that. Instead I thought I'd tell ya somethin new."

He took a deep breath and wondered where to start. Skirting an issue wasn't his style but it's what he found himself doing.

"Phil's about to go crazy y'know. He's having a hard time dealing with this, with you. I figured you were stubborn, but don't ya think this is taking it a little too far?"

"Okay, a bad joke I know."

"You may have given up on yourself Red, but we haven't. You have to come back to us. Despite what you think, there are people that need you here. Willy needs you, Phil needs you…"

He trailed off into an uncomfortable silence and then took a deep breath and said softly:

"I need you."


	38. Internal Conversions

Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit.

A/N: It's been a long time in coming. Bet you thought that I'd never finish it didn't ya? Here's the next bit…short I know, but I'm getting back into the feel of things.

Chapter 38

Despite Phil's fears, Red had been listening to all of them since they had moved her to Silver Streams. She hadn't reacted since no one had said anything worth opening her eyes for. Threats, pleas, even name calling had passed her by. She remembered the last time Phil had been there; she had answered him silently.

Flashback:

"You know none of this was your fault right?" said Phil.

Yes it was, it was all my fault.

"There's nothing to be scared of. Jack's gone, Magnus is gone."

I'm still here…

"The team is fine, they miss you."

Liar. Duke says they're struggling with the lizards.

"You know, this is ridiculous. I think you're hiding from having to live a normal life!"

Took you long enough to realize it.

"You're a coward!"

Yes, I am.

"Please Red, please open your eyes. I'm begging…look…I'm on my knees. Please…"

No.

"I need you, need you to be okay, you did so much for me…please come home."

You don't need me, I'm just a hazard.

"I'll do anything…anything you want. Just tell me what you want."

Go away Phil.


End file.
